Arcane
by insomniac17
Summary: The Triwizard Tournament ends in a dramatic turn of events, and the Wizarding World stands on the brink of darkness once again. Unfortunately for Daphne Greengrass, she now has some choices to make. Of course, to her, there really is only one path forward. But she never expected that path to put her on a collision course with the most closely guarded secret of recent times.
1. Part 1: Chapter 1

********* UPDATE: Sorry! I forgot to post this... the timeline has been shifted forward two years, so the Triwizard tournament takes place during year 6. Relative ages are the same.**

******Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Also, most of the prologue is straight from ****_Goblet of Fire_****. You'll be able to tell where the change is, and after that, everything else is my own writing unless otherwise stated.**

**A/N: This story is unbeta'd, but fully outlined and partially written. All suggestions and criticisms for writing and editing are welcome. There will be no character bashing in this story.  
**

**Word Count: 2656 (2776 including extras)  
**

**Prologue**

"You have been taught how to duel, Harry Potter?" said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness. "We bow to each other, Harry." Voldemort bent slightly, but kept his snakelike face fixed on Harry's. "Come, the niceties must be observed. Bow to death, Harry..."

Harry did not bow. He refused to give Voldemort the satisfaction.

"I said, _bow_." Voldemort raised his wand, and Harry felt his spine curve as though a huge, invisible hand were bending him ruthlessly forward. Voldemort and the Death Eaters laughed. "And now... we duel.

Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself, before he could even move, he had been hit again by the Cruciatus Curse. The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that he no longer knew where he was. White-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain, he was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his life...

And then it stopped. Harry rolled over and scrambled to his feet. He staggered sideways into the wall of watching Death Eaters, and they shoved him away.

"That hurt, didn't it, Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?"

Harry didn't answer.

"I asked you whether you want me to do that again," said Voldemort softly. "Answer me! _Imperio!_"

Harry felt the sensation that his mind had been wiped of all thought... _just answer... say no..._

I will not. I won't answer...

_Just answer no..._

I won't do it, I won't say it..."

_Just answer no... _

"I WON'T!"

"You won't?" said Voldemort quietly. "You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die... Perhaps another little dose of pain?"

Voldemort raised his wand, but this time Harry was ready. He flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled behind the marble headstone of Voldemort's father, and he heard it crack as the curse missed him.

"We are not playing hide and seek, Harry. You cannot hide from me. Does this mean that you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry... come out and play, then... it will be quick... it might even be painless... I would not know... I have never died..."

Harry crouched behind the headstone and knew the end had come. There was no hope... But as he heard Voldemort draw nearer, he knew only one thing. He was not going to die crouching here like a child; he was going to die upright like his father, and he was going to die trying to defend himself, even if no defense was possible...

Before Voldemort could stick his snakelike face around the headstone, Harry stood up. He gripped his wand tightly in his hand, thrust it out in front of him, and threw himself around the headstone, facing Voldemort.

Voldemort was ready. As Harry shouted, "_Expelliarmus!_" Voldemort cried, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

A jet of green light issued from Voldemort's wand just as a jet of red light blasted from Harry's. They passed through each other. Harry's spell hit Voldemort, who's wand flew through the air. Voldemort's spell crashed into Harry's chest.

Harry's body fell to the ground with a thump, and Voldemort's wand clattered onto the headstone beside him. Harry's own wand fell from his limp hand and rolled away.

Voldemort looked around at the gathered Death Eaters. "You see! No one can defeat Lord Voldemort! The Boy Who Lived is no more!"

The Death Eaters broke into a cacophony of shouting, stomping, and cheering at the death of Harry Potter. Voldemort smiled as he retrieved his wand, and picked up Harry's. He held the holly and phoenix feather wand high above his head, and brought it down swiftly across his knee. The wand snapped in two, and he tossed the pieces onto Harry's body.

"Now, my friends. Let us make a grand statement. Let the world know that Lord Voldemort has returned. Let them know fear!"

**Chapter 1: The Next Great Adventure**

**Boy-Who-Lived Declared Dead! You-Know-Who Returns!**

_By Jeremy Scrivener_

_In a shocking turn of events, the worst Dark Lord of the century, previously believed to be dead, has returned in dramatic fashion. It was late last night as the final task of the Triwizard Tournament was nearing its end that Harry Potter, credited with the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a child, reached the end of the maze. However, the trophy had been turned into a portkey, and as soon as he grabbed it, the Boy-Who-Lived was whisked away to parts unknown. _

_Now we know that it was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named behind this as hardly a few hours later there was an attack at the Ministry of Magic, which was open late for a celebration of the tournament's conclusion. Countless eye witnesses saw the megalomaniac holding a body and proclaiming the death of our savior. Many of these witnesses claim that the body was indeed that of Mr. Potter. _

_It appears that You-Know-Who had no intention of sticking around as just a short while later, he and his followers vanished from the Ministry building. The Ministry's famed Atrium was left in ruins, and the body of Mr. Potter was nowhere to be found. _

_Minister Fudge held a press conference early this morning, where he confirmed the rumors surrounding the attack, and announced his resignation, effective immediately. Kingsley Shacklebolt, a highly decorated Auror, will be serving on an interim basis until a replacement can be elected. _

_What remains a mystery is just what exactly happened to Mr. Potter's body, as extensive searches of the Ministry have revealed nothing. It seems that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named took the body with him, though for what purposes remain unknown. _

"NO!"

Daphne Greengrass set the Daily Prophet down on the table and looked up in the direction of the shout. She wasn't surprised to see Ron Weasley being led from the Great Hall by a shaking Hermione. She exchanged a glance across the table with her best friend, Tracey Davis. This was definitely not good news, and Tracey's face reflected her concern.

All around, the students of Slytherin house were whispering. Daphne listened in, trying to confirm her fears. Most of what she heard seemed reasonable, but a few seats down, she overheard Pansy Parkinson whisper, "It's about time, isn't it? Draco has been insisting for years that Potter's luck had to run out at some point."

Past Parkinson, another Slytherin said, "At least those Gryffindors won't be so bloody arrogant now their savior's dead."

Daphne frowned. Were they really so callous as to say that the death of Potter was a _good _thing? Still, she mused, they weren't as bad as Malfoy was likely to be. And speaking of, Draco Malfoy just made his grand entrance into the Great Hall. Malfoy sat down next to Parkinson and immediately began to speak. "Heard the good news, everyone? Real change is about to come to our society, change for the better. I warned Potter that he would wind up like his parents, you know. He obviously didn't listen, and look at what that got him. Dead, that's what. You'd have to be a fool to stand against the Dark Lord. Unless, of course, you're a muggle lover. Then, it's only a matter of time."

Pansy tittered and threw a look over at Tracey. Tracey's eyes narrowed and she got up from the table. Daphne mimicked her and followed her out of the hall. Tracey was moving swiftly towards the library, which had become her haven during her time at Hogwarts.

"Tracey, wait up!"

Tracey slowed her pace and allowed Daphne to fall in step beside her. "You know Malfoy is just full of talk, Tracey. He's all bark and no bite."

Tracey shook her head. "Malfoy's a bigot, but that isn't what bothers me. Well, I mean, it does, but only because of Potter's death. That was a fun surprise to wake up to."

Daphne snorted. "Something like that. I think what surprised me the most is how much I believed all those stories... they made him out to be some sort of god. You know the rumors of what he got up to. If even half of them are true, he's either really lucky, really skilled, or both."

"You mean he was."

"Right..." Daphne's voice trailed off as they arrived at the library. Quickly stepping forward, she held the door open for Tracey who wandered inside. The pair made their way to their usual table near the back and sat down. Tracey began to draw patterns on the table with her finger while Daphne watched, concerned. "Tracey?"

"You know what this means, don't you?"

Daphne blinked. "Um, no more watching Malfoy and Potter throw hissy fits at each other?"

Tracey cracked a smile. "Well, yes, but that isn't what I meant." Her smile faded as she continued, "I mean that I can't come back next year."

That was unexpected. "Wait, what? How does that mean you can't come back?"

Tracey sighed impatiently and flicked her hair over her shoulder. "Come on, Daphne, you know what its been like for me here. The other Slytherins... they don't like me."

Daphne was sorely tempted to point out how much of an understatement that was, but held back. "So what's changed?"

"Potter's dead. He was a sort of buffer, I think. You know, with him around, all the Slytherins would focus on him. I think that they were afraid of him. Malfoy especially. When he heard that rumor about the basilisk... I don't think I've ever seen his face so red!" Tracey giggled at the memory.

"But what are they going to do? It's not like they're going to go around trying to kill you. That's a bit extreme, even for Malfoy."

Tracey's face darkened. "I wouldn't put it past the bugger. I overheard him talking to Nott a few months ago-"

"Tracey, didn't we decide that Malfoy's full of hot air? You can't take anything he says seriously."

"But he sounded so... so official!"

Daphne sighed. "It'll be fine, Tracey. I'll be here to defend your honor. Besides, you have to come back. Would you really leave me to face a year of Malfoy on my own?"

Tracey grimaced. "Yuck. I guess that would be really mean... and you're probably right."

"And you simply can't afford to miss your N.E.W.T's. You know how much they mean when you're applying for a job!"

Daphne almost smiled at the palpable change in Tracey's attitude. "Oh, same old Daphne. Always worried about grades. You know, there's more to life than good grades."

"Name one thing!"

"Quidditch!"

"Oh, please, Tracey, not this again!"

"I'm telling you, Daphne, I've got it all planned out. I have a cousin who knows this guy who knows the owner of Puddlemere United. All I've got to do is show him my stuff, and before you know it, I'll be the general manager of the club! I haven't picked a single player who has gone bad yet!"

Tracey was always going on about her future quidditch job with Puddlemere United. Honestly, sometimes Daphne felt like she was talking to Ron Weasley. Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh. It was impossible for anyone to be as Quidditch obsessed as that boy. "But what if it doesn't work out, Tracey? Don't you want a backup plan?"

With a wave, Tracey dismissed the though. "C'mon, Daphne, you know what I can do. There's no way I'd be turned down!"

"What if they already have a general manager that they don't want to fire?"

Tracey paused. "Hmm. I haven't thought about that. But that's not a problem."

"Whatever happened to having it all planned out?"

"Oh, hush you."

"You could always go for a job as a Herbologist."

Tracey was silent for a moment. Daphne had been trying to convince Tracey to go into Herbology for years, ever since she found out that her friend regularly talked about the class with Neville Longbottom. Secretly, Daphne had always been a bit jealous of Tracey's natural skill in the class, but she'd never admit it.

After a moment, Tracey responded. "Nah. Neville's the Herbology guy. I just like plants. You know, like a hobby. Besides, I could do both if I got the job with Puddlemere."

"Fine, fine! I give up. Do what you want."

"Excellent! I knew you'd see it my way!"

"Mhmm. Hey, do you mind if I run back to the common room quick? I want to grab that Transfiguration essay..."

"But summer break hasn't even started yet! Merlin, Daphne, you can't seriously be considering starting on your summer work already!"

A light flush spread across Daphne's cheeks, but she stood her ground. "If I get it done sooner, I don't have to worry about it all summer long. You should consider it too, so you don't wind up having to do your work on the train again."

"Okay, I get it. Can you grab my stuff too? I'd go back myself, but-"

Daphne smiled. "I understand. I'll be back in a few. Stay out of trouble, Tracey!"

With her best innocent face, Tracey said, "Don't you trust me?"

Daphne snorted and walked away. The walk from the library back to the Slytherin common room was quite long, but Daphne never really minded. With most people outside enjoying their last day at Hogwarts, the halls were completely empty and Daphne found her walk to be especially relaxing.

She reached the common room and spoke the password. With a quick prayer that the common room was empty, she stepped inside. It took all of one second for Malfoy to appear and kill any hope of sliding past unnoticed.

"Greengrass, I'm glad I caught you before the train. Is Davis around?"

Not fully trusting herself to speak, Daphne shook her head.

"Good. Listen, I'm sure you heard the news." He took a pause, waiting for Daphne to answer, but she remained silent. When she didn't respond, he continued. "With Potter dead and the Dark Lord back, I think its about time you reconsider your friendship with her. Pure blood is so rare to come by these days, and it would be a shame to lose more to those damn muggle loving fools."

Though it took considerable effort, Daphne managed to hold herself back from punching Malfoy. "Honestly, Malfoy, I'm not looking to get into any fighting. I have no interest in fighting for the Dark Lord, or joining up with Potter's bunch. I just want to live my life."

With a heavy sigh, Malfoy conceded her point and allowed her to pass. As she walked away, he called after her, "You don't have forever, Greengrass. One day you'll have to pick a side. I only hope you make the right choice."

Daphne ignored him as she went up to her dormitory and grabbed her things, along with Tracey's bag. Her nose scrunched in disgust as she saw Pansy's things strewn about the room. The girl was a mess, and no amount of Malfoy worship was going to fix that. Daphne almost pitied her. Almost. Still, it must be nice living as a mindless sycophant. Not having to worry about your best friend being bullied for being a halfblood. Not having to deal with constant remarks of being a blood traitor. Not having to hear the offhanded comment from her father about how the wizarding world needs to be purified of the muggle filth. Must be nice.

Still, Daphne knew that Tracey had it much worse. After all, Daphne was a pureblood. Tracey didn't have that luxury. And with Potter gone... Well, she'd just have to keep a closer eye on things. And, of course, there was no need to make Tracey more concerned.

As Daphne walked out of the dormitory, she wondered to herself if she wasn't being selfish in asking Tracey to return for their last year.

**A/N: This will be the only author's note at the bottom of a chapter. I just want to clarify for those of you put off by the prologue; Harry has a vital role to play in this story.  
**


	2. Part 1: Chapter 2

************* UPDATE: Sorry! I forgot to post this... the timeline has been shifted forward two years, so the Triwizard tournament takes place during year 6. Relative ages are the same.**

**A/N: I'm sorry about the relatively slow start. Things head south quickly though, and Chapter 4 is where the story goes nuts.**

**Also, thank you to everyone who has responded in any form to this story. The response has completely blown me out of the water. **

**Word Count: 2973 (3030 including extras)**

**Chapter 2: The Approaching Storm**

The next day dawned bright and sunny, and Daphne found herself being pushed and shoved in a mass of students all trying to get the best compartments on the Hogwarts Express. After being elbowed in the stomach for the fourth time, she let out a frustrated sigh and dragged Tracey to the back of the train. They found an empty compartment and went inside. Daphne made sure to lock the door as they sat down.

She glanced over at her friend, who was clearly still preoccupied with the news. "What are your plans for the summer?"

"Oh, nothing really. I think my mum wants to go to Paris, but I'm worried that my dad might insist that we don't come back."

That wasn't the distraction Daphne had been hoping for. Luckily, it seemed Tracey had one of her own in mind.

"By the way, did you hear about that group Weasley started?"

Daphne stared blankly at Tracey. "Um, no?"

"Oh! Well, I guess he refuses to believe that Potter is dead. So he started a group of people dedicated to finding him. Calls it Potterwatch."

That left Daphne feeling a mixture of sadness and amusement. "I bet Granger was pleased about that."

"Actually, she supposedly was the reason he started it. She's probably pretty depressed, but I heard she hasn't left Weasley's side since they heard the news." Tracey wiggled her eyebrows.

"Tracey! You can't honestly expect me to believe that they-"

"Yup. Parvati told Padma, who I heard speaking to Cho about it right before we boarded the train."

"Ugh. I did not need to know that, Tracey."

Tracey grinned. "What's the harm in a bit of gossip? C'mon, Daphne, you can't pretend you aren't at least a bit interested. I mean those two have been at each others' throats for years. Who didn't see this coming? You know, I heard the Weasley twins even had a betting pool about it before they left. I wonder who won..."

As Tracey continued her musings, Daphne's thoughts drifted to the confrontation with Malfoy the night before. Normally, she wouldn't give a second thought to anything that came out of his mouth, but still... No, nothing to worry about. She was just being paranoid after Potter's death. Although, what did surprise her was that he seemed to genuinely care about her joining the pureblood cause. She couldn't imagine why, unless- … Ew. There was no way he liked her. Right?

"... So I'd imagine that whoever did win won pretty big. Daphne, are you alright?"

Daphne looked up, startled. "Oh, yes. I'm fine. Just a bit preoccupied, you know..."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she mentally berated herself. That killed the atmosphere in the compartment pretty quickly, and the pair fell into silence. That silence ended up lasting for most of the train ride. Aside from a few casual comments, both girls remained quiet. When the train arrived at the platform, Daphne bid Tracey a quiet goodbye with promises to write her often, and began searching for her parents. She was dreading the meeting with her father, but there was no point in delaying the inevitable.

Daphne spotted Astoria first, noticing her sister talking animatedly with their mother. Visibly hesitant, Daphne approached her family. Her father was the first to notice her.

"Ah, Daphne. There you are. I trust you had a good term?"

Daphne nodded and forced a smile.

Her father let out a deep laugh. "Come now, Daphne! Aren't you glad to be on break? You look like someone killed your puppy!"

"Honestly, father, I would much rather finish school right now. All the break is doing is keeping me from starting my career."

"All work and no play makes Daphne a dull girl. Keep that in mind." To everyone, he asked, "Are we ready?"

Astoria grinned. "You bet!" She grabbed onto her father's hand, while Daphne's mother took her own hand. The two pairs apparated away from the platform. As soon as they appeared in front of their home, Daphne's father's pleasant demeanor vanished. He turned to Daphne and said, "We are having a very important guest home tomorrow evening, courtesy of Astoria. I expect you to be on your best behavior, is that understood?"

Daphne nodded tensely. Before her father could reply, she walked past him went and straight up to her room. Her trunk was waiting for her at the foot of her bed. She flopped down on top of her soft pillows and closed her eyes. Stupid father. Stupid Astoria. She felt petty for blaming her sister, but it was hard not to. Astoria had always been the favorite. Maybe that's because Daphne was the complete opposite of her father. She could hardly say two words without offending the man in some way.

Before her thoughts drifted farther down that path, Daphne opened her trunk and grabbed her Transfiguration essay. She hadn't made nearly as much progress as she would have liked, and there was no time like the present to get some of it done. As she reached for a quill, her door burst open, and Astoria came running inside.

"Hey, Daphne!" There was a short pause, and then, "Ew. Homework already? Lighten up, sis. We've got all summer for that!"

Daphne frowned. "Astoria, I have N.E.W.T.s coming up next year. I have to be prepared."

"So what was your excuse for starting this early last year?"

Daphne chucked her Transfiguration book at her sister. Astoria ducked under and laughed as the book sailed through the door and knocked an old picture frame off the wall. Daphne swore.

"Well, anyway, my boyfriend is coming over tomorrow. Dad says to dress nicely."

That was unexpected. "Since when do you have a boyfriend, Astoria?"

"Since a boy asked me and I said yes."

Daphne sighed. "You know what I meant. How long?"

"Only a few weeks. But you're gonna be so jealous!"

Unlikely. "We'll see. Now let me work, okay?"

"Fine! Be boring. It's not like I want to talk to my only big sister in the world anyway."

Another sigh. "Alright then. What would you like to talk about?"

"Nothing! Have fun, Daphne!" Astoria skipped out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

Somewhere downstairs, Daphne heard her father yell at her. She silently cursed her sister and went out into the hall to grab her book.

The essay wasn't a particularly difficult one. It was just a review of silent casting and Transfiguration. The trick was to make sure your attention didn't wander as you cast. If it did, that was when the trouble would happen.

It was only a few short hours later when Daphne set her quill down and leaned back. One down, four to go. She looked out of her window and was surprised to see the moon had already risen. Daphne quickly slid into bed and fell asleep.

...

The next morning, she went downstairs and greeted her parents for breakfast. Her father was already buried deep in the morning paper. Daphne had long ago learned to leave him be when he read. But this morning's title caught her eye.

_**Potterwatch claims Harry Potter alive! Truth, or conspiracy?**_

Her surprise came mostly from the speed at which the group had gotten into the paper. Hadn't it only been a few days? Must have been Granger. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a bit curious, though. She waited patiently until her father set down the paper. As soon as his face emerged, she asked, "May I read the front page?"

Her father stared at her for a long moment, then nodded and handed the front page to her.

_Interview and Editorial By Jeremy Scrivener_

_The death of Harry Potter has shocked our world. We have witnessed the return of the very man thought defeated by Mr. Potter, and never before have we seen such a rapid shift in the direction of government. With Interim Minister Shacklebolt at the helm, Auror recruitment has gone through the roof, and many new policies have already been implemented to better protect the magical citizens of Great Britain. _

_However, some people believe that Harry Potter is not dead. After receiving a surprising letter, I met up with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger after their return from Hogwarts yesterday afternoon. For the uninformed reader, these two have been friends with the Boy-Who-Lived, and were rarely seen outside of his presence. They allowed me to ask a few questions, and seemed only too eager to answer. _

_JS: I must admit that I'm surprised to be here so soon after the death of Harry Potter. Undoubtedly it has hit you two harder than most._

_RW: Actually, Harry isn't dead. That's why Hermione, er, we, asked you to meet us. With Voldemort back, we have to prepare ourselves for war, and I'm gonna make sure that when Harry comes back, we're ready to fight. _

_JS: Ah, so you deny that the body seen at the Ministry of Magic was that of Mr. Potter's? _

_HG: Um, well, sir, we believe that it may have been a trick. Voldemort's most powerful weapon in the last war was fear, and we believe that he is using it again. _

_JS: But surely that doesn't explain the disappearance of Mr. Potter?_

_RW: Nah, but you can bet that wherever he is, he's getting ready. That's just what Harry does. And we're gonna be ready too. _

_JS: Is that why you started your new group, ah-_

_RW: Potterwatch._

_JS: Right. Is that why you started Potterwatch?_

_RW: Yeah. We're gonna be getting as many people as we can to join, and we're gonna train. We're gonna be ready for that [censored] when he comes for us. And we're gonna be ready when Harry comes back to finish that [censored] once and for all. _

_JS: Thank you. Is there anything else you'd like to say?_

_RW: Oh, yeah! If you want to join, send a letter to Hogwarts. Dumbledore will make sure we get it._

_JS: Albus Dumbledore is involved in this?_

_RW: Well, not exactly. He just said he thought it was good to be prepared, and he'd forward mail to us. _

_After that, I exchanged a few more polite words with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger before bidding them farewell. I was quite surprised at their insistence of Mr. Potter's continued existence. With overwhelming evidence stacked against them, they still believe he's out there, fighting the good fight. Is this all a conspiracy? _

_In this writer's opinion, no. I believe that Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger are suffering from shock. But do not be too harsh; they have undoubtedly suffered a great loss, and we must support them through this difficult time._

_Editor's note: The current whereabouts of the body of Harry Potter is unknown. Witnesses report that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did not take the body with him as he vanished, however no trace of it has been found in the Ministry. _

Daphne looked up from the paper and glanced over at her father, who was watching her carefully.

"What are your thoughts on this group, Daphne?"

Daphne carefully weighed her response. Slowly, she said, "It's hard to believe that Potter is alive. None of the evidence points that way, except maybe his body being missing."

"It is more likely that the Dark Lord took it with him. Eyewitness accounts during a battle are only so reliable."

"Yes, father."

"And what of the message? They are trying to stand up to the Dark Lord. That is a very dangerous thing to do, especially when you haven't even finished school."

Daphne chose to remain silent.

"Very well." Her father cleared his throat. "Please be ready by lunch for our guest. And I expect your best behavior."

"Yes, father."

"Dismissed."

Daphne was already halfway out of her seat by then, and she walked swiftly from the dining room and back upstairs. She picked out a modest outfit that she usually wore when going out to dinner with her family, and set it on her bed. But her mind had already drifted to the next assignment. She was not looking forward to Herbology. Why she had continued with that class after O.W.L.s...

There was a great struggle between her desire to get her work done, and a hatred of anything plant related. The hate won out, and Daphne sat down to write a quick letter to Tracey.

_Tracey,_

_Nothing new here. Father's the usual, Astoria is just as annoying as ever, and mum hasn't said much. That'll probably change soon though. Astoria's boyfriend is coming over. Boyfriend. Ick. Tonight will suck. I'll add the name of the mystery man when I find out. _

_Hope your summer is better than mine, _

_Daphne_

With that done, Daphne decided she may as well get ready. It was either that, or start on Herbology. She considered starting her other work first, but knew that Herbology would never get done if she left it for last. So, she wearily put on her nice clothes and made her way downstairs.

Her father and mother stood in front of the fireplace with their best dress robes on, which greatly surprised Daphne. She hadn't ever seen them wear those save for very important Ministry gatherings. Astoria stood beside them, looking very pretty in a summer dress. When she went to stand beside them, her father looked over at her and frowned. "I thought I asked you to dress nicely."

"I did. I didn't realize Astoria was dating the Minister himself."

"Cut the tone, young lady!"

He was about to say more, but the fire lit up, and out stepped an unpleasantly familiar figure.

"Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass, it is a pleasure to meet you. Astoria has said such nice things about you."

Daphne wanted to gag as they made small talk, while Astoria fluttered her eyebrows at none other than Draco Malfoy. When Malfoy turned to her, he smiled at her and said, "Hi, Daphne. Looking forward to summer break?"

Daphne nodded tersely. She caught a warning glance from her father, and added, "Yes. It should be fun. You?"

His smile grew. "Oh, yes. It should be very eventful."

And that was it. The two couples went off on their own, leaving Daphne feeling like a fool by the fireplace. On the bright side, she figured that meant she was excused. She went up to her room and waited the afternoon out. Hours later, she heard the fireplace again, followed by footsteps on the stairs.

Her father entered her room and sat down. "Such a charming young man. Astoria couldn't have picked better."

Daphne stared at the wall.

"Have you considered-"

"No."

Her father sighed. "Very well. I would like to speak about something else. Something important. Draco has told me of your... association with a muggleborn student at Hogwarts. Tracey, I believe?"

This was not good. Daphne did not like where this was going at all.

"He expressed concern over your continued friendship with the girl, and I must say that I agree. It is unbecoming of one of your stature to associate with someone of lesser descent. Considering recent events, it would be wise for you to make new friends, and reconsider your past ones."

Narrowing her eyes, Daphne asked, "Is that a threat, father?"

"No." There was a brief moment of relief, but then her father continued. "It is an order. I am restricting your access to the owl, and you are not to communicate with this Tracey. I do not want to hear of you talking to her at all next year. Is that understood?"

"Crystal."

"Good."

Daphne glared at the man as he left her room. She wanted to scream in frustration, but that would only make things worse. A 17 year old throwing a tantrum was 'unbecoming' of someone of her stature, after all. Daphne walked over to her letter to Tracey. She grabbed it, crumpled the parchment in her fist, and threw it at the wall.

* * *

**Mysterious Disappearances Begin Again! He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Increasing Activity?**

_By Abigail Petcher_

_July 24th_

_Things have been quiet since the return of You-Know-Who. Until now, that is. Last night, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement reported receiving dozens of calls from many families across Great Britain, most of whom reported a missing family member. _

_Most prominently, the niece of Amelia Bones (former Auror and current Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement), Susan Bones, went missing. Her current whereabouts are unknown. There have been rumors that people within the Ministry are uneasy with Madame Bones' ability to perform her job with this development. Additionally, the Junior Undersecretary to the Minister, Percy Weasley, was found dead in his flat. The cause of death is currently unknown. _

**Potterwatch fails to gain much traction; is Ron Weasley to be trusted?**

_By Rita Skeeter_

_August 12th_

_Determined to make a spectacle of himself shortly after the tragic death of our hero, Harry Potter, Mr. Weasley organized a group known as Potterwatch, dedicated to preparing to fight Voldemort and searching for Harry Potter. The group is currently comprised of five members, including Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. _

_This reporter attempted to contact them, inquiring about any evidence to prove that Mr. Potter is not dead. The response was a very succinct, "Get loss, Skeeter." _

_Perhaps Mr. Weasley does not actually want to recruit members to his organization. After all, most people would be glad for the opportunity to promote their group and explain the advantages of joining. _

_I did have the privilege of speaking with an anonymous source who told me that Mr. Weasley had a falling out with Mr. Potter during the tournament. This, of course, makes me question the motives of Mr. Weasley, and leaves me to wonder what the real purpose of Potterwatch is._


	3. Part 1: Chapter 3

**A/N: Please avoid the comments if you want to avoid spoilers (this is especially important for upcoming chapters). I also want to apologize for forgetting to mention that the timeline has been shifted two years forward (Triwizard tournament takes place in canon Harry's 6th year). All relative ages are the same. **

**Finally, there is a poll up on my profile. It's just something I'm curious about, and I'll post the results when Arcane concludes.  
**

**Word Count: 3282 (3365 including extras)**

**Chapter 3: Choices**

After the talk with her father, Daphne avoided the man like the plague. It wasn't so much that she thought he would start shouting at her for being friends with Tracey as much as it was her lack of confidence in her ability to keep her mouth shut. There was no way she was abandoning her best friend, but it was probably best if she didn't blurt that out to her father. And so Daphne kept mostly to her room, forcing herself to reread all of her school books (again). It was the most boring summer she had ever had, and she couldn't wait until she could return to Hogwarts.

However, with as much as she couldn't wait to go back, there was a bit of a problem. While Astoria might not write to their father about her continued association with Tracey, Malfoy definitely would. There wasn't really any way around that short of not hanging out with Tracey, which wasn't an option. So, Daphne just decided that she'd bring everything that she valued with her, and simply not come home after she completed her seventh year. Daphne figured she had enough money saved up from the odd jobs to last for a few months; hopefully long enough to find a new job. Hopefully, she could also avoid most of her father's wrath.

Hearing her door open slowly brought her back from her thoughts, and she looked up to see who had come in. Daphne cursed her luck as her father sat down on her bed.

"Daphne. I hope you know I did not restrict you from visiting any friends at all. Only... only certain ones. It is not good for you to be locked up in your room all the time. Don't you want to go out?"

"No, father. I have no other friends."

Her father frowned. "That's not what I hear-"

"Anything Malfoy told you is a lie."

"I never said-"

"You didn't have to."

"I understand that you are not pleased with what I have done, but it is for the best. These are dangerous times, between the Dark Lord, the ministry, and whatever that old fool Dumbledore is up to. It is best if you don't take any chances, and that includes associating with undesirables."

"Undesirable because of something they have no control over!"

Daphne could see that upset her father. He replied, "It is not because they are muggleborn that they are undesirable. They seek to infiltrate our society and destroy our way of living. Perhaps if they treated us with respect, we would not have such problems. But they repeatedly ignore everything that we hold dear because they _don't like it_. How is that fair? We have no control over that either."

"Maybe change is what this world needs. And just because you can't control it doesn't mean that you should kill them! What if they're right, and their way of life is better?"

"I ordered you to stay away from your friend for your own good!"

"She's my friend, father! I am not staying away from her!"

Her father looked at the door and took a deep breath. He almost looked calm, but his clenched fists betrayed him. "You are an incredibly difficult child. I have done my best to raise you properly, but you constantly rebel against my authority."

"Maybe you should be less of a tyrant."

Oops. On second thought, maybe that wasn't the smartest thing to say. Her father's expression turned stony, and he got up and walked over to the door. Before leaving, he turned back around. "Very well then. If you refuse to see the truth, then you must deal with the consequences. After term begins, you are no longer welcome here until you have changed your attitude and taken my advice. Until then, you are no daughter of mine." The door slammed behind him.

Daphne shouted at the closed door. "An order is not advice, father!"

That went well. About as well as any other conversation she had with him, anyway. Maybe even better. She was still alive, after all. They always left her fuming though, and this was no exception. And with no way to take out her frustration... Maybe she should write to Tracey anyway, and just give her all of the letters on the train. Tracey would just laugh. She probably wouldn't even read any of them, and to be honest, she wouldn't need to. It would be pretty obvious what Daphne wrote.

Daphne almost started to do just that. She figured that if nothing else, it was something to do. But before she could begin, she heard noises coming from Astoria's room. Curious, she quietly opened her door and went down the hall. Her sister left the door opened slightly, and inside, she heard moaning and grunting. And Astoria definitely wasn't alone. Daphne brought her hand to her mouth. That was disgusting. She made a hasty retreat and hid back in her room. If Malfoy got her sister pregnant...

Who was she kidding. It probably would have been Astoria's idea in the first place. Bloody hell. Astoria would just say that Daphne was being jealous that she wasn't getting any, and probably shout it right in the Slytherin common room for all to hear.

Welcome to the Greengrass family.

...

The day before her return to Hogwarts, Daphne tossed her last book into her trunk as she tried to quash her anxiety. How would Tracey react to her lack of letters all summer long? Would she be angry? Maybe her father would get his way after all... Her musings were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Without waiting for an answer, her mother entered. "Are you ready for tomorrow, Daphne?"

Daphne nodded. "Yes, mother. I'm almost done packing."

"Oh, I can't believe you're starting your last year at Hogwarts! It seems like only yesterday I sent you off for your first year-"

"Mum! It's fine."

Her mother sniffed. "I know, I know. You've just grown up so fast. And on that note... I hear Theodore Nott is single... You know, I almost dated his father-"

"Ew, mum. He's disgusting."

With a sigh, her mother moved towards the door. "Do at least consider it, Daphne. I must admit that I'm getting nervous you might not find anyone."

And Daphne was alone again. She was rather relieved that it was her mother and not her father, but she knew her mother probably only said that to try and get Daphne to mend the rift with her father. Daphne loved her mother, but her mother was blindly in love with the man, and there was no way that her mother would ever see her side of things.

She tossed her remaining clothes into her trunk and snapped the lid shut. Not bothering to change, she flopped down onto her bed and fell asleep.

* * *

Daphne felt a moment of de ja vu when she woke up the next day to a bright and sunny morning, reminding her of the start of her first year. The sun glinted off of the Hogwarts Express, and the platform was filling fast with students saying goodbyes to their families. Daphne wasn't one of those people. She quickly split from her family and made her way onto the train. She hauled her trunk into one of the last compartments and waited for Tracey to show up. It didn't take long, and Tracey was all smiles as she walked in to greet Daphne.

"Hey, Daph! I missed your letters this summer. How were things?"

Daphne sighed. "About what you'd expect. Father wouldn't let me send any mail, and I had no other way of talking to you, and I was worried that you'd be mad, and did you get your homework done?"

She had said all of this very fast, and Tracey blinked, momentarily stunned. Then she grinned. "Missed that. Calm down, no I wasn't angry, and yes I got my work done. I figured something like that happened."

"That's a relief – wait, you got all your homework done?"

"Yep! I even finished it with two weeks left in break!"

A small smile appeared on Daphne's face. "I'm glad that you've finally grown up enough to actually do what you need to without someone nagging you all the time."

"I'll have you know that I'm just as childish as ever! Oh, this summer when we went to France, I jinxed my dad's swimsuits to all be invisible whenever they were wet. He was so embarrassed; had a couple people tell him there was a nude beach a few miles away!"

"I bet that really warmed him up to the idea of you coming back this year."

Tracey grinned. "Nah, but it did warm him up when all those people started to stare at him."

"Oh, grow up."

"Weren't you just saying how I already did? Small steps, Daphne. You can't rush greatness."

"Alright, already." Daphne tried to pretend to be angry, but she couldn't keep the smile off of her face. "It's good to see you again, Tracey."

The rest of the train ride passed with the two friends talking mostly about Tracey's exploits while in France, and catching up on life in general. Their conversation continued all the way up until they entered the Great Hall, which had a noticeably subdued atmosphere, save for the few students unaffected by or unaware of the events of the summer. The pair fell silent immediately and went to their usual seats at Slytherin table, avoiding most of the more nasty members of their house. Along the way, Daphne overheard someone whispering about how their friend didn't come back after their family was attacked. Daphne's heart plummeted. She had completely forgotten about what You-Know-Who being back would mean to most students at Hogwarts. With Tracey out of country, and her own family being pureblood, she wasn't likely to be personally touched by any attacks.

She sat down facing the rest of the hall and noticed Ron Weasley chatting animatedly with some other members of Gryffindor house, with expressions ranging from sympathetic to intense focus. With her foot, she gently nudged Tracey. "Hey, is that Potterwatch group still going on? I read something about it the day after break started, but I haven't heard anything since..."

"I think-" Tracey's reply was cut short by another Slytherin sitting a few seats down.

"That Potterwatch group put a death warrant on their heads. Idiots. What good could possibly come from speaking out against the Dark Lord?"

Daphne couldn't hold herself back and replied, "Maybe the chance to live? Not everyone is a pureblood. Besides, they're pretty much a fringe group. What can they possibly do to be a threat?"

The girl laughed. "As if having impure blood wasn't bad enough, they speak out against the Dark Lord. That's sealed their fate."

Other students in Slytherin who overheard the conversation immediately broke out in whispers. Daphne noticed some students who seem a bit unnerved by the girl's comments, but she was too preoccupied with the causal use of the Dark Lord title, something she had only ever hear Malfoy and her father use. That wasn't a good sign. She was also surprised by the hostility from the girl. The bigots in Slytherin had always been obnoxious, but never had they been so blatantly obvious about it.

The opening feast passed quickly, and Daphne stayed close to Tracey as they returned to the Slytherin common room. The room had already filled up with friends greeting each other and catching up, at least those who hadn't already done so on the train. The pair silently agreed to skip out on the common room and head straight to bed.

...

Classes started the next day, and Daphne found herself looking at a morning of Defense Against the Dark Arts. She noticed that the class had a new professor. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but Daphne couldn't remember why. Tracey noticed her expression and peeked at her schedule. "New professor, huh? Looks like that curse is true after all. Seven professors in seven years. I'm glad I dropped that class after OWLs."

"But it's so important! What if you're attacked and you need to defend yourself?"

"That's why I keep you around, Daph."

Daphne glared at Tracey. "You know I'm rubbish at dueling."

"You're better than you give yourself credit for. Watch. Challenge Malfoy to a duel right now, and I bet you'll win."

"That's hardly fair. Malfoy's terrible. He'd probably wet himself if he saw me raise his wand at him."

Tracey snorted. "That's something I'd like to see. Anyway, I'd better get going. Divination with Trelawney this year."

"I don't know why you took that class..."

"It's easy."

Daphne just sighed. "Alright. See you at lunch?"

Tracey smiled. "See you then!" She headed off to her next class. On the way, Daphne noticed Malfoy roughly bump into her, knocking her to the ground. Tracey picked herself up, ducked her head, and rushed up the stairs. Daphne stood up to yell at Malfoy, but someone pulled her back into her seat.

"Watch it. You're on thin ice, Greengrass."

She turned and winced as Theodore Nott tightened his grip on her shoulder.

"Malfoy's got bigger fish to fry this year. Don't test him."

Daphne nodded, more than a little scared. She grabbed her things and shook herself free from Nott's grip, dashing out of the hall and not stopping until she had reached the DADA classroom. She sat down at the back of the class and waited patiently for the professor to arrive. The other students slowly began to filter in. Daphne noticed that none of her housemates were sitting near her. She tried to catch the eye of Blaise, but he kept his head fixed forward towards the front of the class.

She gave up her efforts when the new professor entered. The new professor was a middle aged lady with a perpetual scowl on her face. Cordelia Crowley was a former Auror, and a highly decorated one at that. Daphne heard rumors that she was part of a top secret organization in the ministry dedicated to fighting off evil witches and wizards. But, of course, it was hard to buy into any of that nonsense when the average Hogwarts student believed in more conspiracy theories than those muggles with the tin foil hats.

The class fell silent as the professor walked to the front of the room. When she turned around to face them, Daphne was startled by the number of scars covering her face. Didn't she know that magic could heal those wounds?

"Good morning, class. I am Professor Crowley. Today, we will be reviewing last year's material with a partner. Please select a classmate and begin immediately."

Daphne was a bit taken back by the abruptness of the introduction. Most of their previous professors had taken a bit of time to introduce themselves. Daphne brushed the thought aside, and looked around for a partner. Unfortunately, the class had an odd number of students, and she found herself left out. The professor noticed this and approached her. "No partner, eh? Go on with that lot over there." She pointed at Malfoy and Zabini, sitting across the room. "Ought to be alright with your own house, eh?"

Daphne wanted to say no. She was sorely tempted to just say no. But she didn't. She walked over and sat down across from Malfoy, who eyed her carefully, then turned his attention back to Blaise, who asked, "Inferi? You remember them, yeah?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Of course I do, Zabini. Do realize who you're talking to."

"Oh, right..."

Although she felt very uncomfortable, Daphne felt the need to contribute. "Can you please remind me? It has been a while since we..."

Malfoy glared at her, and her voice trailed off. Zabini looked very nervous and ignored Daphne. This continued for the rest of the class. The moment class was dismissed, Daphne bolted for the door, and nearly forgot to grab her bag along the way. That was the single most uncomfortable class she had ever been in, and that was saying a lot for someone who had sat through five years of Gryffindor Slytherin potions.

Unfortunately for Daphne, all of her classes were like this. It was strange. Her classmates had never been so cold before. Maybe the war had reached farther than she thought? Malfoy was no doubt upset by her continued friendship with Tracey. When she met up with Tracey that evening for dinner, she commented about it.

Tracey waved her hand dismissively. "It's probably the war. And Blaise, you know, no one really knows if he's pureblood or not. With how his mother is, he could be just about anything."

Daphne giggled. "That's true. Maybe I'm just overreacting after this summer."

"Besides, it's not like Dumbledore wouldn't know if something was up, right? He's not called the greatest wizard of our age for nothing."

Daphne was about to respond, when a voice a few seats down rose up. "Dumbledore, a great wizard? Ha! You've got to be kidding me. That old fool is a few tools short of a shed. He's had screws loose for years."

Daphne retorted, "You're just mad because You-Know-Who couldn't ever beat Dumbledore."

"Shut up, muggle lover."

Daphne sat back in her seat, surprised. That was something she'd never been called before. And as if on cue, she found herself face to face with Malfoy mere moments later, who asked, "Can I talk to you, Greengrass?"

Hesitantly, she replied, "Sure." She got up and followed him from the hall. He led her back to the common room, which was currently empty.

Malfoy examined her for a moment. "Look, Gr-... er, Daphne. You ought to reconsider what I said before. Tracey is only holding you back. And there are people who aren't happy about it. I can't control everyone, and sooner or later, someone might slip... I'd hate to see you hurt. That would upset Astoria."

"It's difficult for me to believe you when you're fu-" Daphne cut herself off before she said something she knew she'd regret. She took a deep breath and tried again. "Look, Malfoy, I appreciate that you're thinking about Astoria's feelings. But I don't trust you. What are you up to?"

His reaction caught Daphne off guard. He actually looked surprised. "You mean you don't know?"

"Um, should I?"

Malfoy waved his hand. "It isn't really relevant. I'm just trying to watch out for you is all. You saw how people treated you today. You; a pureblood! And they treated you like scum. But you can change that, Daphne. Get to know some of them. They aren't so bad. You might find that you'll learn a thing or two."

"They didn't treat me like scum. Just ignored me. That's about the usual, really. You were the worst, actually. Today in Defense."

Malfoy ignored that last part. "Please, Daphne. Don't insult my intelligence. Just give them a chance. Like I said, you might find that you actually learn something. It can't hurt to have more friends."

Daphne couldn't help but raise her voice as she responded. "Learn something like how to hate muggles? What if muggles aren't so bad? What if muggleborns are actually the reason why witches and wizards haven't completely died off?"

Unfortunately, she failed to realize that the common room had begun to fill up, and multiple people overheard her comments. A few people started to whisper, and Daphne felt her heart plunge into her stomach. If anything was going to make her last year more difficult, that was it.


	4. Part 1: Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, everyone! To make it up to you, here is the longest chapter yet! I hope it turned out alright.**

**Word Count: 4694 (4727 including extras)**

**Chapter 4: Tribulations**

After her conversation with Malfoy in the common room, Daphne made her escape from the dungeons and hid in an unused classroom. She felt like a child who was avoiding punishment for doing something wrong. And that bothered Daphne a lot. She hadn't done anything wrong. Stupid, maybe, but not wrong. But that was the problem with it, after all. Daphne herself didn't think of it as wrong, but there were definitely others in Slytherin who wouldn't agree with her. Hell, Malfoy himself was one of them.

Daphne sighed and hit her head against the wall. What on earth had she been thinking, talking to Malfoy in the first place? Manners? She laughed at herself. Of course, all of those lessons as a child to never be rude would result in this. Still, it had been her choice. She only had herself to blame.

Resting on one of the desks in the classroom was the Daily Prophet from that morning. Daphne didn't really want to go back to the Slytherin common room just yet, so she walked over and sat down. The front page was dominated by a single headline;

**Ministry Worker and Wife Latest Victims in Vicious Attack. **

_By Jeremy Scrivener_

_In He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's boldest attack yet, a Ministry official and his wife were found dead early this morning in their home outside of Ottery St. Catchpole. Arthur Weasley was recently promoted to head the newly created Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects, one of multiple new departments established by the minister at the recommendation of newly promoted Senior Undersecretary Rufus Scrimgeour. _

_Mr. Weasley's wife, Molly Weasley was also found dead. One official spoke on condition of anonymity, saying that these murders were brutal. For the sake of the reader, I will refrain from sharing the details of what I was told; suffice it to say that the murders were shocking displays of inhumanity. _

_Should we be concerned about the Ministry's ability to protect us if it cannot protect its own employees? This is not the first high profile murder relating to the Ministry. Readers will remember this past summer when the niece of Amelia Bones went missing. Her mutilated body was discovered a week later, showing signs of sexual abuse and torture. _

Daphne almost stopped reading there. She remembered reading about Susan, but never checked up to see what had happened. Now that she knew, she really wished that she didn't. Just imagining what Susan's last few moments must have been like was horrific. Fighting back tears, Daphne read on.

_This is just the latest in an ever building stream of attacks. Our population has never been very high, and it was devastated in past decades as we fought off Grindelwald and You-Know-Who. We can't sustain these casualties for much longer; the Death Eaters might win simply because they're the only ones left. _

_And of course, this latest attack devastates an already devastated family. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley join their deceased son, Percy Weasley as well as Mrs. Weasley's brothers, Gideon and Fabian Prewett (both killed in the first war against You-Know-Who), and are survived by their six other children. _

She dropped the paper on the desk and rubbed her eyes. That wasn't the distraction she had been hoping for. If anything, she was more frustrated to be stuck in Hogwarts, while families were being destroyed all around. Education was important, but would it matter in a year? Daphne shook her head and smiled. There was no way she was leaving without taking her N.E.W.T.s. The fighting could come after. Besides, there wasn't much she could do as a Hogwarts dropout to help. And what would Tracey do? Oh, Merlin, Tracey would drop out with her, and Daphne would never hear the end of it.

Daphne sighed. No, she'd have to try and help while she was here. And she wasn't going to be doing much of that if she kept hiding in a random classroom. She stood up and marched towards the Slytherin common room.

…

The next day, as Daphne was getting ready for breakfast, Tracey ran into their dormitory and nearly knocked Daphne off her feet.

"Calm down! Bloody hell, what's gotten into you, Tracey?"

Tracey was grinning, and practically bouncing on her feet. "You'll never guess what I did last night."

"Judging from your expression, I'm guessing you didn't sleep."

"I said you wouldn't guess what I did do, not what I didn't do. Silly."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "Fine. I give up. What did you do last night?"

"Well, you know how Blaise is, right?"

Daphne knew exactly how Blaise was, and she definitely did not like where this was going. "Tracey, you didn't!"

"I totally did! C'mon, be happy for me!"

"I'm finding that hard... what were you thinking! He's friends with Malfoy!"

Tracey flicked her hair and smiled. "Yeah, but you know what it's like. If you aren't friends with Malfoy, he'll make your life a living hell. Blaise just doesn't want to be bothered."

Brilliant. The day just started, and Daphne was already getting a headache. "Okay; okay, look. I'm sorry. I'm just a bit on edge. I heard what happened to Susan-"

"You mean you didn't know?"

"Well, I kind of did, but only that she went missing. But anyway... um... well, congratulations, I guess?"

Tracey grinned. "I suppose that's as good as I'm gonna get. Thanks! Now lets go get food. I'm starved!"

"But what about sleep-?"

Tracey held up a bottle of Invigoration Draught. Daphne just sighed. "Fine. Let's go."

On the way down, she accidentally bumped into Hermione, who was talking quietly to Ron. Daphne muttered an apology and sped up. She felt a bit bad for Weasley; hearing that your parents just died had to be brutal. At least, it probably was for Weasley. It might not be so bad for her. She'd miss her mother dearly, but her father...

Daphne nearly slapped herself to stop that line of thinking. No matter how horrible her father was, she wouldn't wish him dead. Maybe if she said that enough, she'd convince herself.

Breakfast was a very quick affair. Both Daphne and Tracey had no desire to hang around and wait for Malfoy to show up, so they ate as fast as they could and rushed down to the potions classroom to wait for the beginning of class.

Tracey leaned up against the door and looked at Daphne, grinning. "Bet you we're getting off easy today. First class of the year and all."

"Tracey, do you remember our first potions lesson last year?"

Tracey's nose scrunched up as she thought for a moment. Daphne waited patiently, fighting back a smile.

"No. Should I?"

"No, but then again, you did manage to knock half of the class unconscious with a horribly botched potion that Slughorn had us try on the first day. If anything, he'll probably be harder on us this year, since he's had a year to get familiar with the students."

"Oh yeah! I remember now! Well, I remember waking up in the hospital wing a few days later. Not the best way to start off the school year. But I did get out of my classes."

"Except you still had to make all of the work up."

"Who assigns three essays on the first day! I mean, seriously!"

Daphne sighed. "Snape did."

"Merlin, doesn't that man have a life- … No, wait, nevermind. Stupid question. I can't honestly say I'm all that upset that he left after last year."

The door opened, and Daphne laughed at Tracey's shocked expression as she fell to the ground.

"Dear Merlin, Miss Davis! You gave me quite the scare! Are you alright?" Professor Slughorn stood in the entrance, looking down at Tracey.

Tracey bounced back to her feet. "Quite alright, Professor!"

Slughorn chuckled. "Perhaps you might choose a more wise place to lean in the future, then?"

"You bet, sir!"

"Very good! Now go on, the both of you. Miss Greengrass, I'm sure that you will love today's lesson!"

Daphne smiled at the professor. "I look forward to getting started, sir."

The two girls took a seat near the front of the classroom and waited for the rest of the students to arrive from breakfast.

Tracey rubbed her shoulder tenderly. "You know, that door wasn't even that comfortable."

"Was it the door, or was it hitting the floor that hurt?"

Tracey laughed. "Yes."

"Wait, do you mean-"

Before she could finish, Slughorn walked to the front of the room and began the class. "Welcome back, everyone! It looks like everyone is here; we have quite the small class this year, so let's get started!"

Daphne immediately closed her mouth and focused on the front of the room. She caught Hermione doing the same out of the corner of her eye. Tracey appeared to notice it too and nudged her, grinning and flicking her eyes back and forth. Daphne just rolled her eyes and ignored her friend.

"Today, we will be attempting to brew the Wiggenweld Potion. This potion isn't too difficult, but takes more time than we have. However, I expect each of you will be able to make an excellent start. You may work in pairs. Please consider the effects of each ingredient you add and how their attributes contribute to the desired effect of the completed potion. If you have any questions, please ask."

Daphne pulled out her potions book and flicked to the correct page. She scanned the list of ingredients and instructions, and ran off to grab everything she needed. Tracey followed her as usual; Tracey let Daphne pick out what they needed, and she just stood nearby so that Daphne could dump things into her arms.

When they returned to their table, Daphne looked up to notice that Hermione had already begun her potion, while Ron sat nearby, delicately slicing ingredients. She looked over and noticed Tracey grinning at her again.

"What? So I'm a bit competitive. Let's just get started."

"Hey, I didn't say anything."

"But you wanted to."

Tracey shrugged. "Only a little bit." Then her smile reappeared. "But we'd better get started. We're falling behind!"

Daphne lightly shoved her in response and pointed at the ingredients laying on the table. She lit the fire beneath the cauldron and began the first steps. It soon became clear why Slughorn had picked this particular potion; the preparation was ridiculously easy. Of course, she'd never tell Tracey that the girl was right. No need to inflate her friend's ego more than absolutely necessary.

About an hour into the class, Daphne got up to gather an ingredient she had forgotten while waiting for the potion to reach the right shade of green. As soon as she was on her feet, the potion exploded. Smoke filled the classroom. Daphne herself flew back a few feet and landed on her backside. She winced and tried to stand.

Slughorn rushed over and helped her to her feet. "Miss Davis! Please take Miss Greengrass to the hospital wing. I'll clean up here."

Daphne was horrified. "But what about the potion, professor?"

"Not to worry, my dear, you'll get full participation marks for the day and I'll have this cleaned up in a jiff."

"But-"

"Off with you! You need to have that looked at before it gets worse!"

Tracey grabbed her arm and pulled her from the classroom.

Daphne felt her face throbbing. "What's wrong with my face?"

Tracey didn't look back. "Swelling. Now c'mon."

"But-"

"Not now, Daphne! Just come on!"

Daphne was shocked by the change in Tracey's attitude. At the start of class, Tracey had been joking around and teasing, just like she usually did. But something must have seriously upset her. For some reason, Daphne doubted it was only getting participation marks for the day.

They reached the hospital wing, and Tracey nearly flung Daphne onto a bed as she ran into Madame Pomfrey's office. The matron rushed out and began to examine Daphne.

"Minor swelling... nothing too bad, thankfully. I'm a bit surprised to see you in here, Miss Greengrass. You have always been very careful in potions."

Tracey growled, "It wasn't her fault."

Pomfrey appeared not to hear though, and continued her examination. "Here, drink this. You'll be right as rain in a few hours."

Daphne took the potion and drank quickly; it tasted like burning gym socks.

"Good. Now rest here, and I'll check up on you shortly."

When Pomfrey had returned to her office, Tracey came over and sat on Daphne's bed.

"It was Malfoy."

"What?"

"I saw him flick something into the cauldron right as you got up. The ponce must have wanted to get you back for what you said before."

Despite Tracey's insistence, Daphne wasn't so sure she was the target. Maybe it was just a coincidence that it happened right as she was leaving to do something, but there were plenty of other opportunities where Malfoy could have done that. Besides, Malfoy seemed almost determined to convince Daphne that she was wrong. Maybe Astoria put him up to it. Tracey on the other hand... Malfoy certainly didn't like Tracey.

But Daphne was not going to tell that to Tracey. It wouldn't help her friend to feel any better. "Yeah, that's probably it..."

…

That evening, after Daphne had been released, she managed to convince Tracey to go to the library. Daphne was worried about Slughorn's comments on the effects of the ingredients of the Wiggenweld Potion, and wanted to look them up.

As soon as Tracey sat down at their usual table, she hopped up again, clutching her bum. "Owww!"

"What?"

"Ah, nothing. It just felt like I sat down on a tack."

"Check the seat before you sit back down."

Tracey stuck her tongue out, but carefully brushed the seat a few times before sitting down again. "So what's first?"

"Well, we should probably start with the effects that we are least familiar with-..."

"Great! I'll go look up dragons."

"But, Tracey, we don't need-"

Too late. Tracey had already walked off. Daphne sighed. That girl had the shortest attention span... that or a very strong aversion to any form of studying. She got up and went to find the first book she had in mind.

As she searched the shelves, she heard a whisper behind her, and an instant later found herself immobilized. She recognized the spell, of course; the full body bind was simple, but that didn't help her feel any better about her situation.

There was laughter all around her, but she couldn't see any of her attackers with her narrow field of vision. A shiver of fear worked its way down her body as she wondered what she was about to face next. Fortunately... at least, as fortunate as she could have hoped to be in this situation, the laughter faded and she heard footsteps walking away.

Of course, now she was laying on the floor deep within the Hogwarts library, completely immobilized, and with no idea of when the spell would wear off. Daphne knew Tracey was going to freak out when she got back.

Tracey! Oh, bloody hell. What if they got her too? They probably wouldn't have been as restrained with her... Daphne struggled harder against the magic binding her, but to no avail. She didn't expect it to work, but she had to know that her friend was okay.

Her strange luck continued moments later as her body was suddenly freed. She immediately sprang to her feet and collided with the person who freed her.

"You may want this, G-... Daphne."

Malfoy held her wand in his hand. Daphne froze. "Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you free me?"

Malfoy sighed. "You're my fi-... girlfriend's sister. Sort of like family now. I'm trying to look out for you, but you're not making it easy. I told you before that I wouldn't be able to keep others from hurting you. They aren't happy with you at all."

"Who are you talking about?"

His eyes flicked to the left. "I can't say. I'd be in more trouble than I care to admit if I revealed that. Not just with my father," he added when Daphne attempted to interrupt him.

Daphne grabbed her wand and started to walk away. "Fine then. Thanks for the help."

Malfoy ran and caught up to her. "Do keep my warning in mind. You'll want to distance yourself from that... from Davis."

Not bloody likely. As soon as he was out of sight, Daphne ran back to her table and let out a very loud sigh of relief when she saw Tracey sitting there, reading a book. She didn't even think to be surprised by that before she noticed the title. Quidditch Through the Ages.

"Haven't you read that book enough times?"

Tracey looked up. "It's a classic! You know, like those ones that you always read a million times."

"I think there is a slight difference... Anyway, did you have any trouble finding a book on dragons?"

"Why would I look for a book on dragons?"

"But you said... nevermind."

Daphne sat down and reached for her bag. She realized that in the confusion, she had forgotten to grab the book she went looking for. She sighed and looked over at Tracey. "Hey... do you just want to go to bed? I'm pretty tired."

"Daphne, voluntarily leaving the library? You must be sick! Do you feel feverish?"

"Oh, shut up."

Tracey laughed and threw her book on the table. "Race you there!"

…

Daphne's week continued much the same as it had. She was being bullied by a select group of students that she never managed to catch. It was something she wasn't familiar with it, and she wasn't handling it well. Avoiding the great hall wasn't something she ever imagined she would want to do, but she could hardly take five steps into the place without being jinxed or hexed, despite there often being multiple professors eating as well.

As she struggled in their first Transfiguration class of the year, she tried to keep her mind focused on the task at hand. Her best efforts were unsuccessful as her thoughts kept drifting towards the bullying. It was much worse for Tracey, she knew that. But not how much. Tracey wasn't telling her anything. Daphne was starting to seriously doubt the wisdom of convincing Tracey to return for another year. The girl in question was focused intently on her work, and didn't notice Daphne's distraction. Or, she could just be trying to distract herself from their classmates.

An errant spell snapped the chandelier free from the chain that held it up. It plummeted to the floor, nearly crushing Professor McGonagall in the process. "Miss Greengrass! Please be careful! I would like my classroom to remain intact for my next lecture. I would also like to be alive to give it."

Daphne flushed deeply and looked down at her desk. "Sorry, Professor. It won't happen again."

"Hmm." The professor checked the time. "Class dismissed. Everyone, please practice those lists of spells for next lecture. They should cover the basics enough to remind you of what you have learned. And Miss Greengrass, please wait a moment."

After the class filed out of the room, Daphne waited for McGonagall to speak.

"I must say, that was the worst spellwork I have ever seen you perform, Miss Greengrass. Is everything alright?"

Daphne blushed again. Her nerves must really be getting to her. "Yes, professor. I'm fine. Just a bit nervous for my last year."

Professor McGonagall smiled. "I'm sure you will do fine. Just please be more careful. I would like to live to see you graduate, and I am certain that accidental manslaughter of a professor will not look good on any résumé."

Daphne laughed nervously. What a way to have a professor admit that they enjoyed having you as a student.

"Please stop by if you have any questions, Miss Greengrass." The professor looked down at her desk in what was a clear dismissal. Daphne retreated out the door and let out a heavy sigh. That did not go well at all. She was just going to have to toughen up and deal with the bullies. Her schoolwork was too important to let them affect it.

She jumped when Tracey spoke. "What was that about?"

"Oh, you know... just a bit distracted and all. McGonagall just wanted to make sure everything was okay.

"Is everything okay?"

Tracey's question threw her off guard. Was it? Clearly not. But saying that wasn't going to help Tracey feel better. Especially not since it was their friendship that was causing most of the problems.

"It's fine. Come on, let's go."

But such was her luck that she had barely taken another step before she was ambushed by her mother's personal owl. She grabbed the letter that it was carrying, wondering why her mother would risk contacting her after she had effectively been disowned. After glancing down at the address, Daphne wasn't sure whether or not to feel relieved or not when she recognized that it was definitely her mother's handwriting. She unfolded the letter and read a very brief message.

_Daphne,_

_Please end your friendship with the mudblood immediately. Your father received a letter from Draco and is greatly displeased. Please do this for me._

It was pretty clear that she had written this very quickly. The writing was shaky, and there was no signature. She also called Tracey a mudblood... which wasn't very likely to convince Daphne to listen to her. Seriously, why did they not get this? Insulting her friend wasn't going to make her magically come around to their point of view. If anything, it further alienated her.

The content itself was what disturbed her most, though. It almost sounded like her father was hurting her mum.

Tracey curiously peered over her shoulder. "What's it say?"

"It's from my mum. I-... well, I'm not sure what it means."

"Let me read it."

"No, I don't think-"

Too late. Tracey had grabbed it from her hands. The color drained from her face. "What happened over summer break, Daphne?"

"My father sort of disowned me unless I break off our friendship."

"What a real arse. Honestly! It's not like I can help who my parents are. Besides, I wouldn't want pureblood parents anyway, if that's how they all act... Er, no offense."

"None taken."

"At least you turned out alright though. Bloody hell, could you imagine if you ended up like Malfoy? I think I'd rather die."

A new voice cut in. "I believe I would feel the same were I in your position, Davis."

Tracey's face paled even further and she whipped around to find Malfoy's wand in her face.

"I have tolerated your presence for over six years at this school. That's more than you deserve. And now I catch you spewing out your mudblood crap to my future sister in law. You had best watch yourself, Davis..."

Daphne stepped up before Tracey could reply. "Come on, Tracey. Let's get out of here."

They quickly made their way to the library, and Daphne was silently thanking the fates that Malfoy hadn't followed. After they sat down, Tracey looked over at her. Daphne was surprised to see a small smile on her face. "Sorry to hear the news, by the way."

"What news?"

"Your future brother in law. He's a real arse."

Daphne stared at Tracey for a moment, then started to laugh. Tracey joined in, and Daphne felt some of the tension release from her body.

"How do you do it, Tracey?"

"What do you mean?"

"Stay happy. I mean, this week has been dreadful, but you're still cracking jokes and smiling all the time."

Tracey's smile grew. "I'm still me. They can do whatever they want to me, but they can't take away what makes me who I am. And they want me to be upset. I mean, I still react when they bully me, but if I can't go back to being me, then they've already won. There's no way I'm letting them win."

"That's... that's sort of inspiring, Tracey."

"Thanks."

Silence fell between the two as they began to work on their homework. Daphne poured over her transfiguration notes, determined not to have a repeat of earlier. They stayed in the library through lunch and the entire afternoon, right up until dinner when Astoria showed up at their table. Her eyes were red, and she was trembling.

"D-Daphne. I got a letter from f-father a moment ago. C-can we talk?"

Daphne looked at Tracey, who nodded. "Okay."

Astoria left the library then, and Daphne followed just behind her. As soon as they reached an empty room, Astoria threw herself at Daphne, sobbing.

Awkwardly, Daphne embraced her sister. She muttered, "Shhh... it's okay..." After Astoria had calmed down, Daphne asked, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"M-mum died!"

Daphne froze. "What?"

"I g-got a letter from father just before I came to see y-you. He told me that mother had f-fallen ill recently, and s-she p-passed away this afternoon."

That was definitely odd timing... "I got a letter from mother just this morning, after transfiguration... Astoria, do you think that father would have anything to do with this?"

"What are you s-saying, Daphne?"

"Nothing. Nevermind. I'm just... just being paranoid, I guess. Will you be alright? I should probably get back to Tracey." Maybe not the best thing to say when her sister was very distraught, but in all honesty, no one was going to touch Astoria; especially not while her sister was with Malfoy. The same could not be said for Tracey.

Astoria's face darkened for a brief moment. "I'll be fine. I'll talk with Draco tonight when I see him."

Though it pained Daphne to do it, she kept her reply positive. "Good. Now off with you. He's probably in the common room waiting for you."

As soon as Astoria was out of sight, Daphne took off running back to the library. She was only a minute away, but this couldn't wait. Had her father murdered her mother? She hadn't heard anything about a sickness, and that letter... her mother was clearly not in her right state of mind... it did seem to implicate that something was wrong. It could be that she was sick, or... well, Daphne didn't want to think about that.

She ran back to the table where she left Tracey only to find it empty. Tracey's bag was still there, and her books were scattered about the floor. The chair had been knocked backward. All thoughts of her parents immediately flew from her mind.

Malfoy.

Daphne sprinted out of the library again and started to search every room nearby. She found nothing until she reached the staircase and nearly bowled into Malfoy and Astoria. Malfoy was holding Astoria closely and rubbing her back. He looked up at her, and the intensity of his glare startled her. Daphne didn't have time to bother figuring out what the look meant though, and she ran up the stairs. It did make her wonder, however, that if Malfoy wasn't behind it... who was?

She was panicking at this point. The bloody castle was huge; how was she supposed to find anything? There were no clues as to where Tracey was taken. Frantically, she started to blast doors open with her wand as she ran, only stopping to take a quick peak in each. Her frustration grew with each room she passed.

There was a piercing scream in the distance, and Daphne immediately stopped in mid cast and ran towards the sound. She saw someone emerge from a room at the end of the hall and vanish. Although she desperately wanted to chase, she had to find Tracey first.

Daphne ran inside of the room and nearly tripped over a chair just inside the door. The chair was covered in blood... and it didn't take long to find the source. Resting in the center of the room was Tracey's body, completely still.


	5. Part 1: Chapter 5

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait, everyone! Hopefully it won't happen again, but I can't make any promises. Huge thanks to my new beta, silentclock, for the incredible help on fixing up this chapter.**

**Word Count: 5240 (5284 including extras)**

**Chapter 5: Discovery**

**Forty Killed in Clash Near Denton**

_By Abigail Petcher_

_In the first major conflict since the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Ministry and allied forces defended against a Death Eater assault near the small muggle village of Denton. It is unclear what the Death Eaters hoped to gain from an attack on that location, but they were met by a group of Aurors and Hit Wizards, along with Albus Dumbledore and others. _

_The allied forces prepared an ambush and successfully repelled the Death Eaters, sustaining eleven casualties to the twenty-nine suffered by the forces of You-Know-Who. Despite the loss of eleven Ministry law enforcement officers, the Minister has declared the battle a major victory, claiming it is the first step towards defeating the Dark Lord once and for all. _

_The Chief Warlock was unavailable for comment, as he received an urgent summons from Hogwarts immediately following the battle._

_Rumors are circulating that the group Potterwatch was involved, but there is no evidence of any of the four known members of Potterwatch taking part in the fighting. _

_Should we be concerned by the increasing militarization of the law enforcement department? More on p. 3... _

…

"Oh my god, no, no..." Daphne dropped to her knees and frantically searched for a pulse. "Tracey, come on! Don't you dare do this... Don't you dare!" As she tried to find a pulse, she ripped off part of her skirt and pressed the cloth against the large wound in Tracey's chest. "Please, Tracey! Come on..."

Minutes passed, and Tracey remained motionless. Daphne got to her feet and wiped tears from her eyes. "S-stay here. I-I'll find h-help."

She bolted from the room and screamed for help. Her body must have understood her plea because although she had no clear destination in mind, she found herself in the hospital wing a short time later, pounding on Madame Pomfrey's door. The matron opened her door, ready to scold whoever was making such a racket, but stopped short when she took in Daphne's appearance. Tears fell freely down her cheeks, which were lightly stained red from where she had brushed her face earlier. Her hands were covered in blood, and her clothes were rumpled and torn.

"Dear Merlin, Miss Greengrass! What happened?"

Daphne tried to speak, but she couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence. Instead, she grabbed Pomfrey's arm and began to drag her towards Tracey.

"Miss Greengrass! What is going on?"

"T-tracey. She's h-hurt."

"If you will allow me to run, we can move more quickly."

Daphne let go, and the pair dashed through the castle. When they arrived, Madame Pomfrey looked inside the room and let out a startled cry. She waved her wand, and her shoulders sagged. "Oh dear. Please wait here, Miss Greengrass. I'll only be a moment."

Startled, Daphne shouted, "Wait, where are you going? She needs your help!"

Pomfrey watched Daphne sadly. "Miss Davis is no longer with us."

Daphne sobbed and tried to grab the matron. "Don't you dare say that! You help her! You have to help her! Please!" She ran back over to Tracey and began to try and wrap up the chest wound. "You'll be okay, Tracey... you're going to be just fine..."

Pomfrey grabbed Daphne and pulled her to her feet. Daphne struggled and hit the matron. "Let me go! She needs me! She needs me!"

"Daphne, Tracey has passed on. There's nothing we can do."

"No she isn't! I-I don't believe you!"

Pomfrey whispered something and flicked her wand. A silver light erupted from the tip and raced off into the hallway. She turned back to Daphne and pulled the girl into her arms. "Shhh. You're safe, Miss Greengrass. The Headmaster will be here soon."

Daphne sobbed into Pomfrey's chest and clung to the matron with an iron grip. It didn't take long for Dumbledore to appear. He took one look inside, and in an instant, his calm expression changed. The temperature in the room increased, and Daphne could feel the magical energy thrashing around her body. In a voice that did not match the look of fury on his face, Dumbledore quietly asked, "Poppy, what happened here?"

"I don't know, Headmaster. Miss Greengrass came to find me only a few minutes ago and led me here. She is a bit shaken-" As she spoke, Daphne let out another loud sob, and began to tremble. "- as you can see."

Daphne turned around and looked Dumbledore in the eyes. "C-can you h-help her?"

The anger vanished from Dumbledore's expression, and he shook his head wearily. "I am afraid not, Miss Greengrass."

In an instant, Daphne's bravado and confidence vanished. She crumpled to the ground, wailing pitifully. She pulled her legs against her chest and squeezed as tightly as she could, wishing the pain would go away. Her heart felt like it had been crushed and smashed, and each breath she drew was a struggle.

The Headmaster waved his wand, and Daphne's eyes drooped heavily. A moment later, she was asleep.

"Poppy, if you would be so kind... The spell won't last long, but I think a dreamless sleep would do wonders for Miss Greengrass tonight. I shall contact the Ministry and begin my investigation...

"They- they won't threaten your position here, will they?"

"No, I earned a bit of political capital this evening, when I aided in repelling a Death Eater attack on Denton." Dumbledore's gaze was unfocused as he spoke. He shook his head, and looked at Pomfrey. "I find myself stretched quite thin of late, Poppy, and Miss Davis has paid the price for it. How am I to lead this war when I cannot even keep my own students safe?"

…

Daphne awoke feeling oddly refreshed. For some reason, that felt horribly wrong, but she couldn't remember why. Then it hit her. Tracey...

"Ah, good, you are awake. How are you feeling?"

Softly, she said, "Dreadful."

Pomfrey smiled sadly. "That is to be expected. An investigation has begun into what happened. As soon as you are able, the Headmaster would like to speak with you."

"Okay."

With that, the matron left Daphne alone. Daphne wasn't sure if she wanted to be alone right now. She wasn't sure if she _could_ be alone. The pressure on her chest was nearly unbearable, and it took all of her restraint to keep herself from crying out and breaking down as she had the night before. Then, a depressing thought crossed her mind. Even if someone was with her, she really was alone in the world. Her best friend...

"Miss Greengrass." Dumbledore had entered. "Are you well?"

Daphne opened her mouth, and closed it again. She didn't think she could talk without starting to cry again. Instead, she shook her head.

"Of course. I do understand what it is like to lose a loved one... They say time heals all wounds, but there are some wounds that never truly go away."

That wasn't what she expected. Of course, she had never really spent any time around the Headmaster before, but she expected any adult would just tell her that everything was fine, and that things would go back to normal. Daphne appreciated that he was at least being honest with her.

"It feels as though the weight of the world is crushing down upon you, doesn't it? As though nothing will ever be right? Truly, time will dull the pain. I believe you have what it takes to recover from this. But, of course, it takes time. If you ever have need to talk, please do not hesitate to find me. My door is always open."

Daphne whispered a barely audible, "Thank you."

"You are most welcome. But before I go, I must ask if you are willing to share in your story of what happened last night. I know that it hurts, but sometimes it is easier to talk sooner than later."

"I-" She took a deep breath. "Okay. W-where should I begin?"

Slowly, and with many long breaks, she related her story to Dumbledore. The Headmaster never interrupted, and listened intently to her every word. When at last she had finished, he smiled. "Thank you for your bravery, Miss Greengrass. With your permission, I will repeat any necessary information to the Aurors, and I will do my best to keep you updated on any developments."

Daphne nodded, exhausted.

"And now, forgive me, but I must depart. I am sure that there will be a number of people who wish to speak with me. Madame Pomfrey will be nearby should you need to contact me, or should you need something else. Also, you have another couple of visitors waiting outside. I shall send them in on my way out, if that is acceptable?"

She nodded again.

"Very well. Rest up, Miss Greengrass." As he made to leave, he paused, and looked back at her. "Death is but the next great adventure. Keep Miss Davis close to your heart, and know that you will see her again some day."

The Headmaster left then, and Daphne pondered his words. She really hoped that was true. As she closed her eyes, the pain in her chest returned in full force. She struggled to fight off the urge to hold herself.

"Hey, Daph..."

Daphne's eyes opened. Her sister... and Malfoy. Not the kind of distraction she would have hoped for. "Hey. You know I hate that name, Astoria."

Astoria smiled weakly. "Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you're still... you know, you."

"I'm still me."

"Good."

A silence fell between the trio, and Daphne felt a growing awkwardness the longer it lasted. She almost wished that they would go away... but at least it was another distraction from Tracey. The pain crashed over her again as this crossed her mind. Daphne sincerely hoped that Dumbledore was right. There was no way she could live with this much pain forever.

Finally, Malfoy broke the silence. "Er, sorry about your mu- er, about Davis. I hope you know that you do have friends you can count on in your time of need in Slytherin. There are many of us who would welcome you gladly."

Daphne was sorely tempted to hit him for that. After all of the crap they had done to Tracey? But could spending time with them actually be worse than being alone? Yeah, it definitely could.

"Get lost, Malfoy."

Malfoy frowned, and looked like he was about to respond, when Astoria cut across him. "I'll write to father to let him know you're well."

"Okay."

Madame Pomfrey came over and shooed Astoria and Malfoy away. Astoria smiled weakly, and she grabbed Daphne's hand. "You'll be alright on your own for a bit, right?"

"I'll be okay."

"Good. See you soon, sis." Astoria grabbed Malfoy's hand and dragged him along behind her. His expression remained emotionless, but he waved at Daphne and allowed himself to be led away.

Daphne watched the pair go with a mixture of confusion and disgust. There was no way she could hang out with the people who made Tracey's life a living hell, but she wasn't so sure she could handle being alone. Maybe being with Astoria wouldn't be so bad. At least that was something. But that would probably come with more time around Malfoy, and that wasn't a pleasant thought.

She closed her eyes again and felt the pain wash back over her body. _Tracey, I'm so sorry... _

…

**Mysterious Vigilante Defeats Two Death Eaters**

_By Jeremy Scrivener_

_Reports from Ministry officials, speaking on conditions of anonymity, claim that the latest appearance of the Dark Mark led to the discovery of two Death Eater bodies. Both men were unharmed, save for a pair of slit throats. This comes after the recent good news that the Ministry successfully repelled a large attack of Death Eaters. _

_The Ministry officials confirmed that this was not an act authorized by the Ministry itself, however, which raises a few questions: Just who is responsible for this? Which side are they on? How did they stop this attack, and will they attempt to stop more?_

…

It was a full week before Daphne was allowed out of the hospital wing. No one told her the reason why, but it was painfully obvious that they expected her to do something drastic. She supposed that it wasn't entirely unreasonable. Waking up for the fourth time in a single night, screaming, and having Madame Pomfrey rushing in to calm her down probably didn't instill any confidence in their evaluation of her mental state.

Now that she was free again, she almost wished she wasn't. Her classwork would keep her busy for a while, but there was no more Tracey to make her laugh over a poorly worded transfiguration essay... or to crack a joke after Daphne told her to shut up. She sighed and made her way to the library, figuring she may as well get started on the work she had missed.

Slowly, she made her way to the back of the library. When her usual spot came into view, she immediately froze and walked back the other way, holding her chest and fighting back tears. Her breaths shortened and she quickened her pace until she found a table next to a bunch of relatively noisy third year students. Noise. Blissful distraction.

She sat down, and pulled out her first assignment. Herbology. That felt like a punch to the gut. Daphne shoved it back into her bag and practically ran out of the library. Maybe she'd work on that later... Instead, she went back to the common room and sat down in a corner. She picked a conversation at random and listened intently. She happened to pick a bickering couple, arguing over something stupid. Honestly, Daphne couldn't care less what they were saying. They could be screaming random gibberish for all it mattered. It was a distraction.

"Hey, Daphne, why don't you come over here?"

Daphne looked up, and saw Astoria waving her across the room. She hesitated for a moment. She was sitting with Malfoy, and Daphne really didn't want to put up with him right now.

When she didn't move, Astoria got up and went over to her. "Are you okay, sis?"

Daphne nodded. "Fine."

"I guess I can't blame you for not going over. They're talking about the news again. You heard about that vigilante, right?"

"Yes."

"I guess Weasley thinks that Potter is the one behind it. Honestly, what on earth would make him think that? He must be delusional."

That was the wrong thing to say. "Don't say that! His parents were just murdered! Honestly, how would you feel if you lost almost everyone you care about! Do you have any idea what he's probably going through?"

Astoria looked stricken. Daphne felt her anger calming down after that, but maybe she shouldn't have been quite so loud. The common room was completely silent, and everyone stared at her. Daphne felt the blood rushing to her face. She quickly gathered her things and rushed up to her dormitory. As she left, she heard Malfoy trying to change the subject, and Nott whisper, "It's not worth it. That mudblood lover is hopeless."

…

**Number of Death Eater Casualties Rising, Ministry Suffers Major Setback**

_By Jeremy Scrivener_

_Death Eaters attempting to break into Buckingham Palace for unknown reasons were slain on Monday. Authorities believe that the Mysterious Vigilante is responsible for preventing their entry, as the evidence is consistent with prior incidents. The Ministry has refrained from putting a bounty out for this unknown hero, though sources within the Ministry say that the Minister is deeply troubled by these attacks, and worries that this vigilante is a third party, hostile to Death Eaters and Ministry law enforcement alike. _

_Perhaps the Minister is more concerned by the recent setback to his own law enforcement. Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor was attacked late last night. The Ministry had received word minutes before the attack took place, and Aurors rushed to the scene. Sadly, the shop had been rigged with explosives, and thirteen Aurors were killed, along with another five wounded. The shop itself is a total loss, and many nearby shops have been heavily damaged. An investigation is currently in progress, and large portions of Diagon Alley have been sealed off to the public. _

_Meanwhile, Ronald Weasley, head of the outspoken yet small group Potterwatch, has continued his claims that the Mysterious Vigilante is none other than Harry Potter himself. _

_Rita Skeeter asks, Is Ronald Weasley delusional? Should the press be furthering his cause when it is so clear that he needs mental help? More on p. 8..._

…

Daphne threw the paper down on the table and was surprised to find herself surrounded by her classmates, who were busy enjoying their dinner and talking quietly.

"Who else could it be? Sure, he's old, but no one can deny what he's capable of."

"Come on, do you really think that fool would stoop so low? He couldn't even finish Grindelwald. Dumbledore just let him rot away in a prison 'cause he didn't have the nards to do the deed."

"You don't know that! No one's ever seen Grindelwald since he was supposedly locked up. No one but Dumbledore has."

Winter break was drawing nearer, and Daphne was sick of this. Of these people, of her classes, of school... of her life, really. Ever since Tracey died, she had been miserable. She was still waiting for time to work its magic. And while being with Astoria helped, more often than not, Malfoy would come along too. At first, Daphne would leave whenever he showed up, but lately, she just ignored him. She hated herself for it. Was she so desperate for someone in her life that she would stoop that low? Daphne had never felt so frustrated and hopeless.

She was sick of the conversation, and so she spouted off the first thought that came to her mind. "Oh hush, the lot of you! For all you know, it really is Potter, back from the dead. He's coming for you next."

Nott laughed. "Been cozying up to Weasley, eh Greengrass? Why don't you go back to your mudblood friends?"

Daphne's face hardened. She threw a nasty glare at Nott and left the table in a hurry. Behind her, she heard Malfoy whisper, "Nott, you moron! I told you not to say that sort of stuff around her!"

"Give it up, Malfoy..." The rest of Nott's reply faded as Daphne left the Great Hall and went outside. There was a bit of a breeze and the ground was covered in snow, but Daphne reveled in the bitter cold. It was so good to feel something. Something that didn't drive her crazy.

Tracey used to love the snow. She hated the cold though. Daphne remembered how, every year, Tracey would drag her out to play in the snow, only to run inside minutes later and spend the rest of the day complaining about how the cold always ruined snow- Not helping. That was definitely not helping. Daphne felt her frustration return. Couldn't she do anything without being reminded of her friend? Or would she constantly be haunted by Tracey's ghost?

She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry about Nott. You know how those guys get. They're trying."

"Cut the crap, Malfoy. Why are you here?"

Malfoy sighed. "It's a bit cold out, don't you think? Astoria was worried when you ran out, you know."

"I'm a big girl. I can handle myself."

"You know why she was worried, right?"

"I know."

There was a brief pause as Malfoy drew patterns in the sand with his shoe. "Have you thought about talking to your father?"

That made Daphne tense. "No."

"Why not? I mean... Astoria has been writing him often, and he was hit pretty hard by the death of your mother... Maybe you two could help each other."

"That's not a good idea."

"Maybe my relationship with father makes me biased, but I think that it could really help. Either way, it's up to you. I just wanted to make the suggestion."

'Well, you've made it."

"Hey, I was just trying to help out my future family."

Family. Daphne had never decided if family was good or bad. It couldn't be anything good if it involved Malfoy. Or her father. But Astoria had been almost pleasant. Maybe it was both.

…

**Battlefront Falls Silent as First Anniversary of Harry Potter's Death Approaches**

_By Abigail Petcher_

_Whether by coincidence or intent, there has been a drastic reduction in activity from both the Ministry and the Death Eaters. We are fast approaching the date that marks one year since the death of Harry Potter. The Ministry has planned for a small ceremony to be held in his honor, but it will not be open to the public due to security concerns. _

_The group Potterwatch will be holding its own ceremony in Hogsmeade. Despite the irrelevance of the group in terms of membership and influence, a large turnout is expected. _

…

As the school year approached its end, Daphne dove headfirst into her studies. She was often near Astoria, but rarely spoke to anyone. Dumbledore had asked her to his office to check up on her. That meant more to Daphne than she thought possible.

She had tried to keep up with how things were going outside of the school, but it was largely the same. The vigilante would kill a few more Death Eaters, and the Death Eaters would kill a few Aurors or Hit Wizards. The killings had been slowing down recently, though. Daphne wasn't sure whether that was because there were fewer people around to fight, or because both sides were preparing for something huge. She felt bad when she realized that she hoped it was the former.

Though it was a sunny day, Daphne was sitting in the library, studying. It had taken her far too long to return to the library without threat of a breakdown, and she had struggled to keep up with her schoolwork as a result. Not that it was easy to return, necessarily, but maybe Dumbledore wasn't completely insane...

"Hey Daphne, are you coming to Hogsmeade? It's already after noon."

Daphne sighed and looked up at her sister, who was bouncing eagerly on her feet. "No. Why do you want to go? Isn't that Potter thing today?"

Astoria's face fell. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I don't imagine that will be much fun, wading through a mob of Potter supporters. Such a shame. I was really looking forward to going today."

"You can always go next year. Or over the summer. I'm sure father would take you."

"Oh, you know it's not the same! And I don't want to wait. I'm impatient."

"Isn't that the truth."

Astoria harrumphed indignantly and left Daphne to her work. However, Astoria's presence had broken her concentration, and she couldn't seem to focus back on her reading. She grabbed her book and stood up to leave the library. But as she started to leave, she heard Malfoy whispering to someone nearby. She hid behind a bookcase and listened in.

"... You know she can't go! That would destroy all the work we've done so far."

"I forgot, Draco! I'm sorry. But I just want my sister back. She's been so dead inside ever since that stupid mudblood died."

"Astoria, no one is more frustrated than I am. Honestly, I don't think she's ever going to change. I don't think it's worth it. Honestly, what kind of pureblood hangs out with a mudblood, especially one as annoying as Davis?"

"But she's my sister! Family first, isn't that what you always say?"

"She's not family yet. But I'll keep trying, for you."

"Thank you, Draco. I love you."

"I love you too. Now go on. I've got to get ready in case I'm called."

She heard the sound of a kiss, and then watched as her sister skipped out of the library. Daphne was fuming. She knew that Malfoy hadn't really changed, but to hear it so blatantly... And her own sister! Calling Tracey a mudblood! That brought back all of the bad feelings, and instead of fighting them, Daphne embraced them. She went around the bookcase, walked straight up to Malfoy, and slapped him as hard as she could.

"You- you foul, loathesome creature! How could you- you... Augh!"

She moved to slap him again, but he grabbed her wrist. Something in his eyes made Daphne shiver in fear. "That was a mistake, Greengrass. I've given you chances to change. Too many chances. You're damn lucky that Astoria cares for you, because it's the only reason you're still alive. But if you aren't careful, your luck will run out. Now, you had best consider your response carefully."

He released her hand, and Daphne stood completely still. Malfoy smiled.

"Good. It would be a shame to have you end up like your filthy mudblood friend."

That did it. She slapped him again, and again. Malfoy stopped the third blow from landing and pulled out his wand. His lips began to move, and Daphne turned around and ran for it. She bolted from the library and past a startled Madame Pince, who shouted something unintelligible.

A jet of green light flew over her head and smashed into the wall, blasting chunks of stone into her path. She tried to leap over one, but tripped. Malfoy was on her in an instant. He pinned her to the ground and grabbed her hair. He smashed her face into the floor and laughed. Daphne could feel his breath on her neck as he whispered, "I killed Tracey."

Daphne screamed. She struggled furiously against his grasp, but couldn't break free. Malfoy laughed as she struggled, but stopped abruptly when a spell flew overhead. Daphne took the opportunity to turn around and punch Malfoy in the privates. Malfoy doubled over in pain, and Daphne shoved him off and scrambled away from him. She took out her wand. Blinded by fury, she prepared to cast.

"_Confringo!_"

The spell collided with Malfoy's stomach, and he flew backwards into the wall. Someone shouted, "Murderer!" from down the hallway, and Daphne came to her senses. Had she just killed Malfoy? The footsteps were drawing closer, and she knew she didn't have time to check. She ran.

Where could she hide? The whole castle would be on alert soon... She had to get out. Where to then? They would know it was her if she wasn't in the castle, and there were too few people to get away with slipping in somewhere unnoticed.

Hogsmeade.

Those thoughts flashed through her mind in a matter of seconds, and with her destination set, she ran as fast as she could through the halls of Hogwarts. She tore around corners and flew past the few students who had remained behind, and when she reached the entrance hall, she blasted the doors open and ran out onto the grounds.

It was a bit of a run, but if she could just make it past the wards, she could apparate the rest of the way. Daphne knew roughly where the line was, but didn't want to take any chances. It was best to keep going until there was no doubt. The shouting behind her was growing louder, so Daphne pushed herself even harder. She ran past Hogsmeade station and, as soon as she felt sure she was far enough away, she stopped and concentrated on the village.

A second later, she reappeared in the middle of complete chaos. Spells flew past her in every direction, and she had to drop to the ground to avoid being hit by at least three of them. There were robed men and women on all sides of her shouting and screaming, and the village was burning.

Daphne crawled over to some rubble that had broken off of a nearby building and tried her best to hide. Unfortunately, her cover lasted but a moment before a Death Eater caught sight of her and started to attack. Daphne was forced to retreat, blocking those spells she recognized and dodging the rest. She backed into an alley and found herself pressed against a dead-end.

"Going somewhere, my pretty? But you'll miss out on all the fun!"

The man cackled madly, and Daphne was almost positive that he had completely lost his mind. He seemed to forget his wand and walked closer to her. Daphne held her wand out with a shaking arm. "S-stop."

"Are you going to kill me, little girl? Are you?"

"_Lacero!_"

The man clutched at his throat and tried to speak, but all that came out was a gurgle. His mouth filled with blood, and he fell to the ground, choking and flailing around desperately. Daphne watched in horror as the man's movements slowed, until he ceased moving altogether. She covered her mouth and retched.

Desperate to get away from the scene, Daphne took off again. She found herself on the main road, but her path was blocked by a pair of combatants at a standstill. There was a sort of ring around them as most of the other fighters stopped to watch.

The shorter man on the left had his face covered. He spoke first. "It's time to end this."

The other man was a horrifying caricature of a human being, with snakelike features and waxy skin. Daphne felt a shiver of fear down her spine when she realized that she was looking at You-Know-Who.

"You think that killing me will end this? How little you know, boy. This is bigger than you'll ever realize." The Dark Lord cackled madly, and blocked a spell that nearly hit him. "You'll have to do better than that, Potter!"

"Potter? He's dead. You remember why everyone was in the village today, right?"

"Enough with the games!"

The hooded man cast another spell, which You-Know-Who also blocked. He fired a third spell immediately after, which caught the Dark Lord's arm. You-Know-Who hissed in pain, and fired back. What followed was the most dazzling display of spellwork Daphne had ever seen. She could barely follow the movements of the two fighters.

One of the fighters stumbled and fell to the ground. The other man approached and prepared to cast another spell. You-Know-Who laughed, and shouted, "_Expulso!_"

Both men were blasted apart, as were the spectators standing nearby. The masked man landed a few feet away from Daphne. He got to his feet, took aim at the Dark Lord who was struggling to regain his footing as well, and yelled, "_Sectumsempra!_"

You-Know-Who's head fell off of his shoulders and toppled to the ground. The man fell onto his backside and wheezed painfully. Daphne ran over to him and felt herself go numb when she saw the wound on the man's chest. It was almost identical to the one she had seen on Tracey.

"No... no... This isn't happening..." Her mind flashed back to finding Tracey all those months ago, and Hogsmeade vanished from her vision.

The man grabbed her arm and pulled his mask off. Apparently it had restricted his breathing, because he took a deep breath. "Dumbledore. I need Dumbledore."

His sudden grip brought her back to reality. Or, maybe not. Because Daphne was sure that Harry Potter was dead, and not sitting right in front of her.


	6. Part 2: Chapter 6

**A/N: I hope you enjoy the chapter! Thanks to my beta reader, silentclock, for the excellent help with this chapter. ****  
**

**Word Count: 4033 (4062 including extras)**

**Chapter 6: Impressions**

Daphne could hardly believe her eyes. There was no way this could be Potter. He moaned in pain, and that shook her from her musings. "Um, just hang on. Where do I find Dumbledore?"

Potter's voice was gravelly, and his speech haltered. "Should- should be nearby somewhere."

"Oh. I'll just- I mean, will you be alright if I leave you?"

He nodded.

"Okay. Don't move. I mean, I guess you can't, but- oh, nevermind! Just wait here!"

Daphne stood up and began looking around for any sign of the Headmaster. The crowd that had surrounded the fight had dispersed, though she imagined that was more because of the magical backlash than anything else.

A thick cloud of dust had settled over the main street, and Daphne tried to pick individuals out from the haze, but couldn't see well enough to do so. Luck must have been on her side, however, because as soon as she started to run off to find him, she bumped into the Headmaster. Dumbledore's expression was that of concern.

"Miss Greengrass, are you well?"

Daphne nodded. "Yes, but... well, I don't know how to say this, sir. Harry Potter is alive, and he was asking for you. He got injured pretty badly. I think he was fighting You-Know-Who." She paused as the realization set in. "I think he killed You-Know-Who!"

Dumbledore smiled. "I am quite aware of Mr. Potter's continued existence. If you don't mind, before we speak more, would you please lead me to him? I daresay that he will require medical attention."

"Right... He was just over here..." Daphne began to walk back the way she came, looking closely for any sign of Potter. It took her a minute, but she finally found him again, laying just where she left him.

The Headmaster rushed over and examined Potter quickly. "Fawkes, if you would." There was a bright flash of light, and Potter's body vanished. Daphne wished she had caught a better glimpse of the Phoenix, but resolved to ask later. Then she remembered what brought her to Hogsmeade in the first place.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Miss Greengrass?"

She quickly rehearsed what she wanted to say in her mind, and took a deep breath. "I think I killed Malfoy!"

That didn't come out quite as intended.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What I mean, is that I was in the library, and I heard him talking to my sister, and they said some horrible things about T-Tracey, and then I got mad and hit Malfoy. He got really mad, and told me he was going to kill me. So I ran. He tried to kill me and he told me that he killed Tracey. I got so angry at him, and I think I k-killed him."

She was on the verge of tears again. This was definitely not good for her. She would be expelled now, and locked up in Azkaban. And there would be plenty of company for her, after all the Death Eaters stood trial.

"I will look into the matter. I would advise you to... how do the muggles say it? Lay low for a while? If I recall, you are not on the best of terms with your family. I can send you to a safe house while I determine what happened."

Daphne just nodded.

"Excellent. There are also a few things that I must discuss with you about what you saw here today. As I am sure you are now aware, Harry's life is a closely guarded secret, and one that I fear must remain as such."

That was a bit odd. "Why? Wouldn't it do Britain good to have their hero back?"

"It would, yes. But I wish to make sure that the threat is truly gone before we reveal him again."

"He looks like he can take care of himself pretty well."

"I do not dispute that, however I ask that you trust my judgment on this for now." Dumbledore grabbed a nearby piece of wood and offered it to Daphne, who accepted it.

"I will see you shortly, Miss Greegrass. Rest up. _Portus_."

Hogsmeade vanished, and she reappeared in a dark, dingy kitchen. There were a few candles on the walls, but their flickering light did little to beat back the shadows. In the center of the room was a sturdy wooden table, with a couple of chairs shoved haphazardly nearby. Daphne took one and sat down, feeling a bit nervous about this place. There was no way this was Dumbledore's home. Or, if it was, she had seriously misjudged him.

A dirty, decrepit house elf wandered into the room. "... Mistress would never forgive Kreacher... the half-blood is back... and there is a strange girl at the table..." In a louder voice, it asked, "Who is miss, and why is she here?"

Daphne wasn't pleased with what she heard the elf saying before, but she didn't want to cause trouble without knowing anything about this place. "Um, I'm Daphne Greengrass."

"Greengrass? Good, respectable family... Perhaps she can help Kreacher..."

The house elf left the room, leaving Daphne hopelessly confused. This couldn't be Dumbledore's house. But why would he have sent her here of all places?

There was a bright flash of light and the Headmaster appeared in the kitchen beside Daphne.

He smiled at her. "Ah, I forgot to warn you not to explore. This house is not the safest place for the unprepared."

So he sent her here and forgot to tell her that this place was possibly dangerous? That did little to reassure Daphne. "Where are we, sir?"

"This is the old home of Sirius Black."

Daphne's eyes widened. "What?!"

"You see, Sirius Black is... was, rather, not the criminal that the Ministry believed him to be. He was, unfortunately, killed before his innocence could be proven."

Daphne was sure there was an interesting story behind that, but decided to ask later. "Oh. How did you get his house?"

"Sirius kindly allowed me to use it to keep Mr. Potter safe after the tournament ended. It is here that he has been staying, and here that he is even now being treated."

"Who is treating him?"

"Fawkes. Actually, there are only two people who know that Mr. Potter is alive, and they are in this room. And, to answer the question that I know is on your mind, I kept him a secret to tempt Voldemort into action. Voldemort gained a great deal of confidence from his supposed defeat of Harry Potter, and acted far sooner than was wise. Had he learned sooner that Mr. Potter was alive, I believe that the war would have lasted much longer, with Voldemort retreating to reorganize and reexamine his tactics."

Something felt off about that explanation, but she supposed that it made about as much sense as anything else. She was about to ask about Malfoy, when Dumbledore continued.

"Also, you may be pleased to hear that Mr. Malfoy is not dead. He suffered some grievous injuries and is recovering in the Hospital Wing as we speak... Unfortunately, he claims that you tried to kill him, and there are witnesses who have confirmed his story."

Daphne's stomach clenched painfully. "But what about all those people in the library?"

"None have come forward. Until such a time as the truth can come out, you are welcome to remain here."

"Does that mean you believe me?"

"I do. Of course, it is also convenient for me, as I cannot risk Harry's secret getting out. Now, I am afraid that I was only able to leave for a few minutes, and I am expected at the Ministry shortly. You are free to explore, but I urge you to stay only to areas that are not closed off. Mr. Potter is on the second floor in the very first room if you are interested in visiting."

Before she could say anything, Dumbledore vanished again. Daphne looked around the kitchen one more time, and decided that she would much rather visit Potter. At least then, if something attacked, she wouldn't be alone.

She made her way up to the second floor and went into the only open door. Potter was resting on a bed in the center of the room, and Fawkes was perched on the windowsill, filling the room with a beautiful song. Daphne could feel a deep emotion rising up inside of her, but she couldn't quite place it.

"Did Dumbledore bring you here?"

Daphne looked at Potter. His eyes were a vivid green, and his hair was a complete mess. His words stung a bit, carrying an undertone of accusation. "Yes."

"Alright. Probably shouldn't get comfortable. Dumbledore'll probably have to obliviate you or something."

"What? Why would he do that?"

"No one's supposed to know about me."

"But You-Know-Who-"

"Voldemort."

Daphne shivered. "Yes, he-"

"Say his name."

Potter was starting to get on her nerves. "No. Now if you would stop interrupting me, I was trying to say that _You-Know-Who_ is dead. Why would you need to be hidden?"

Potter frowned, but let the matter slide. "Safety precaution. Voldemort has a lot of allies, and they aren't all dead."

"But surely they would be intimidated if they knew you were alive."

"Yep. Probably drive them back underground, and make them more difficult to capture."

"But what about your friends? Weasley and Granger?"

As soon as she mentioned their names, his face fell. The room also fell silent. "They're fine. Dumbledore has kept a close eye on them."

"But then you'll know that they miss you. About P-Potterwatch and all that." This conversation was taking a turn Daphne wasn't sure that she liked. Memories of Tracey were resurfacing.

"I couldn't have asked for better friends. But they're better off now. I... war changes you. You don't come out the same."

"So you'd just abandon them?"

Daphne could tell that Potter was getting irritated. "Shut up! This is none of your business anyway."

"You're right. It isn't. I just thought that a real friend might want to know how his friends were handling his death. And, you know, how they might feel if they found out that this friend had been lying to them."

"It's not like that!"

"Whatever, Potter. I can't believe that you wouldn't even try to let them know."

Before Potter had a chance to respond, Daphne turned around and left the room. She closed the door behind her, and returned to the kitchen. That conversation had not gone as she expected, but she struggled to believe that someone would so easily abandon their friends. Maybe Malfoy was right about Potter.

Daphne sighed. She hoped she wouldn't have to stay here for too long. With nothing else to do, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep at the table.

…

She was awoken by a loud bang next to her ear, nearly causing her to fall out of her seat. In an instant, she was upright and looking around the kitchen, eyes wide. Her body relaxed slightly when she noticed that it was just Potter. He had dropped a plate of food in front of her and taken a seat at the opposite end of the table, where he was eating his own breakfast.

Daphne was slightly suspicious of the food, but figured there was no reason for him to poison her. At least, she hoped that he wouldn't be so petty as to do that over their conversation. She grabbed the nearby silverware and began to eat.

The sound of metal hitting plate was the only noise in the room as an oppressive silence hung between the pair. Daphne was painfully aware that Potter was avoiding looking at her, and she felt slightly guilty. While she felt justified in disliking his choice to hide himself from his friends, she did feel bad about what she had said to him.

Before either could finish, Dumbledore entered the room. He sat down in the middle of the table, equidistant from both Daphne and Potter.

"How are you both this morning?"

Potter grunted.

Daphne forced a smile. "I'm well."

"Excellent. I trust the two of you have met properly by now?"

Daphne caught Potter's eye and blushed. Potter glared at her, but looked down at his plate, embarrassed.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, I was a bit surprised by the nature of your conversation. Fawkes was rather alarmed by it. But no matter. I am confident that you both will be able to work out your differences."

"You mean you aren't obliviating her?"

Daphne sent a nasty glare at Potter for that.

"Oh, no. Miss Greengrass is in a bit of a predicament with the Ministry, currently."

"What, did she kill someone?"

Dumbledore chuckled again. "Not as such, although many believe that she attempted to murder Draco Malfoy."

Potter mumbled something.

Daphne didn't quite catch it. "Could you say that again?"

"I said, I wish you'd finished the bastard off."

Clearly hoping to steer the conversation back on track, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Quite. However, Lucius Malfoy has quite a bit of influence with the ministry still, despite him now being a wanted criminal. It is best if Miss Greengrass remains here for the time being."

"What am I to do while I am here?"

It looked like that was exactly what Dumbledore wanted her to ask, which unnerved Daphne. He smiled. "If you would like, you may train with Harry. I have a feeling that his skills will be required soon, and I believe that you might wish to help him."

"What?"

"Lucius Malfoy will prove very difficult for the Ministry to catch. I plan on entrusting that task to Harry."

That sounded pretty difficult. "But how can I help?"

"Harry has attempted these missions before, but they are exceptionally difficult to do alone. I believe that having a second person go as well will reduce the risk involved. Of course, you will need plenty of time to learn what you need to know, but it will likely be some time before I am able to discover Lucius' whereabouts."

As tempting as it would be to take down the elder Malfoy, Daphne wasn't sure if she wanted to risk trying. Malfoy junior would no doubt want her blood, and if they met... that would probably be bad for her life expectancy. "But Mal- er, Draco knows me. He probably wants me dead pretty badly."

"Certainly a possibility. But I do not believe it is likely that Draco will spend much time around his father. Draco is still in good standing with the law, and will likely seek to serve as a front for Lucius's plans. It would look highly suspicious for him to be seen going off to parts unknown too often, and he can't be certain that the Ministry won't attempt to track his floo connection or any strange apparitions. It is likely that you will not meet him on this mission."

"But what if I do?"

"Harry will be there." Dumbledore stood up. "I will leave you to consider it. Harry, please introduce Miss Greengrass to your training, and please keep our earlier conversation in mind. I shall return at the usual time."

He departed with Fawkes a moment later, leaving Daphne alone with Potter again, and wondering what Dumbledore had said that he apparently couldn't say around her.

"Is the Headmaster insane? Why does he want a couple of teens, who are barely of age, to try and catch one of the most notorious criminals alive?"

Potter snorted. "I killed Voldemort. Malfoy can't be as bad as him. And yeah, Dumbledore is a bit off his rocker. He really knows his stuff, though, and he's a great duelist. You learn a lot just from fighting him."

"Why me?"

"Beats me. It'll probably take me longer if I have you along." When Daphne's face darkened, he hastily added, "Not that you're bad or anything. I just work best alone."

"Whatever, Potter. Let's just go do whatever it is you do to train."

"Alright. Come on, then."

Potter led Daphne from the kitchen and down a set of narrow stairs. He went through a door at the bottom, which opened up into a fairly substantial cellar. A makeshift wall had been built along the back, but the rest of the room was nearly barren, save for a strange contraption off in the far corner. Potter caught her gaze. "That's where Dumbledore keeps the wine and stuff. He figured it probably wasn't safe to drink, and therefore probably not a good idea to accidentally hit it with some spells."

"Probably." The Headmaster's parting response came back to her, and she asked, "What did you talk to Dumbledore about earlier?"

Daphne's voice trailed off as Potter began casting spells at the opposite wall. He was using fairly basic spells, which surprised her. His casting appeared a bit off, though. Daphne thought she could see his body shaking a bit.

"Er, are you okay, Potter?"

"Fine."

The next spell hit the wall a bit too hard, and chipped off part of the stone. Potter cursed, and walked over to repair it. He was a bit too violent with the spell though, and the wall cracked as the missing piece flew back into place. He cursed again.

Daphne watched him, feeling uncertain. Potter seemed a bit crazy too, if she was honest with herself. Maybe that was part of what made great wizards? Not that Potter was great; but he had to be good if he took down You-Know-Who.

"Um, what should I do?"

"I don't care. Practice spells or something."

Gee, thanks. That was super helpful. "If you have something to say, just say it, Potter."

He turned to look at her, and Daphne took a step back, surprised at the intense emotion on his face. "You. Where do you get off saying that I'm just abandoning my friends? If I don't do this, they could get hurt, or worse!"

So that was it. Well, Daphne figured she'd already burned this bridge. No reason to hold back now. "So you think that you're helping them by letting them be depressed for the rest of their lives? I don't think you really understand what being a friend means."

"I don't understand?! I do understand! You should too; look at what happened to your friend."

That stopped Daphne in her tracks. Her voice was barely a whisper. "How do you know about Tracey?"

"Dumbledore-"

She was about to shout, but she couldn't even think of what to say. Potter looked horrified at what he'd said. The tears were building up in her eyes, and she refused to cry in front of him. So she ran upstairs. She heard Potter coming after her, but she slammed the door behind her, and heard a loud thump. A rush of satisfaction flooded through her. He deserved that.

Unfortunately, she didn't know this place nearly as well as he did, and she had no idea where to go that was safe in this dump. It was only a few seconds before Potter caught up with her.

"Er, I'm sorry about that Greengrass."

Daphne had her back turned towards him and refused to turn around. She wasn't sure she would be able to keep from hitting him if she did.

"I just wanted to say that's the sort of thing that drives me to do this. I can protect them. But it's easier if I don't have any distractions."

Although she hated to admit it, it did make sense. It was really stupid, but at least he wasn't a heartless bastard. Well, he was, but not intentionally. She took a deep breath, and forced herself to calm down. It was discouraging how hard that was for her. She'd need to work on that. When she finally worked up the courage to speak, her voice was shaking. "Just... d-don't talk about that again."

"Okay."

There was an awkward pause.

"I guess I can show you other training stuff. If you're interested."

"Alright."

Potter went back downstairs and Daphne followed slowly. She really wanted to be alone right now, but there wasn't really anywhere she could go without asking Potter first, and she didn't want him to be able to find her. So, doing something was the next best thing.

He walked over to the weird machine and flicked a switch. "This is a pitching machine. For a muggle sport. It's useful for practicing dodging. Especially if you use actual baseballs. Those things hurt. But you can start off with something softer as you learn."

Daphne stared at the contraption incredulously. "Seriously, that is what you use to learn? Isn't there a better magical solution?"

"Probably, but I had to put this together myself. I'm no Dumbledore."

"How did you get that thing?"

"Er, it was something that Sirius had laying around. He had a lot of junk laying around."

"Sirius, as in Sirius Black?"

"Yeah, my godfather."

It took Daphne a moment to remember what Dumbledore had said. This was Black's house, and he was apparently innocent. "How was he innocent? Didn't he murder all those muggles?"

That upset Potter. He shook his head angrily. "No. That was Peter Pettigrew," he said, practically spitting out the name. "That bastard is the reason why my parents are dead, and why Voldemort came back again." Potter took a deep breath. "And he's the reason Sirius is dead."

"I'm... sorry."

"It's fine. Go ahead and stand over on the other side of the room and I'll start this thing."

Daphne went across the room and watched as Potter flicked the switch. The machine began firing foam balls at her, which she dodged fairly easily. The speed began to gradually increase though, and she found herself getting hit more and more. It wasn't long before she wound up collapsing on the ground, breathing heavily and waving for Potter to shut off the machine. He did so and walked over.

"Not so easy. You have to build up some endurance to last in a battle. Otherwise, you're good for one fight, then you're dead. Now it's my turn."

Daphne crawled over to sit behind the machine and watched as Potter took his turn. He was obviously a lot more practiced at it than she was. He managed to last for a good few minutes, dodging an unbelievable number of balls, and Daphne didn't notice him get hit once. When he finally finished, he was breathing heavily, but he didn't seem to have any trouble moving around. Daphne still felt weak from her attempt.

"Maybe I'll hold off on showing you some other stuff. You can watch, if you want."

Daphne just nodded, and watched as Potter went on with his training. She wasn't really paying attention to him though. She was in way over her head, and this was going to get her killed. Being in this creepy house was bad enough, but she wasn't sure what to make of Potter. He seemed to have no idea how to interact with people at all. But that wasn't what bothered her most. Whatever Dumbledore was thinking when he asked her to help, Daphne wasn't sure, but she was sure that the man was insane. She had absolutely no idea where to even begin trying to catch the elder Malfoy. Honestly, Potter didn't seem to need her help, so why was Dumbledore trying to force her into this?

Suddenly, Dumbledore's phoenix appeared in the room and began to sing. Daphne immediately felt better. Potter stopped his training and looked over at her. "Fawkes must like you. He doesn't come visit very often."

"He has interesting timing..."

"Fawkes has a way with timing. He showed up right in time to help me kill a basilisk."

That made Daphne perk up. There had been all kinds of rumors about second year, and just what exactly kept the school from closing. As usual, Potter was at the center of all of them. "What happened?"

Potter's face flushed with embarrassment. Daphne was pretty sure he hadn't meant to bring that up. But he came over and sat a few feet away, and began to tell his story.


End file.
